Sustainable management of natural resources in the Twenty-First century
Keywords:
environmental governance, natural resources, ecological restoration, sustainability, nature-based solutions.Abstract
The intensification of material extraction, ecosystem degradation and climate change has made the sustainable management of natural resources a scientific and political priority. This study aimed to analyse the approaches, strategies, outcomes and challenges associated with the sustainable management of water, soil, forests, biodiversity and marine resources in the twenty-first century. A qualitative systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020. The structured search covered Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO and DOAJ, publications in Spanish, English and Portuguese between 2015 and 2025, and combinations of terms related to sustainable management, natural resources, governance, the circular economy and nature-based solutions. Of the 195 records identified, 20 documents met the eligibility criteria. The evidence was organised into six themes: planetary boundaries; integrated water and soil management; conservation and restoration; nature-based solutions; circularity and material efficiency; and governance supported by geospatial information technologies. The results indicate that the most consistent interventions combine ecological knowledge, community participation, continuous monitoring, and economic and regulatory instruments. Institutional fragmentation, unequal access, insufficient funding and data gaps persist. Sustainability depends less on isolated measures than on adaptive, multiscale and equitable arrangements capable of maintaining ecological integrity whilst meeting human needs. Integrated management, restoration and the absolute reduction of material pressure are complementary priorities. These findings provide an integrative foundation for guiding public policies, territorial decisions and future research across diverse ecological and social contexts throughout the contemporary world.
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