Natural resources – in the form of finite resources such as minerals and energy, and renewable natural resources such as agricultural commodities (including biofuels), timber, fish, leather and forest products – are increasingly in demand due to rising wealth and a growing population. Trade is an essential means to secure access to resources, not least as they are unevenly distributed across the globe, and no single country is entirely self-sufficient. Although governments in the past have sought to use export restrictions to boost fiscal revenue, this is now not the driving aim of such measures for many countries. Export restrictions are instead often implemented with the aim of achieving a number of other goals, including food security, industrial development, environmental protection and natural resource conservation.
