The UN produces the official demographic approximations and predictions for every country and all regions of the world. These are (Pencheon, 2012): Human overpopulation now ranges among the most pressing world problems. Overpopulation Effects - Everything Connects Cause and Effects of Overpopulation Due to an increasing number of people who have basic needs, the likelihood of conflicts relating to water and food will increase dramatically. Until recently, birth rates and death rates were about the same, keeping the population stable. Now that we understand the causes and effects of overpopulation lets examine some of the main solutions to this issue. In less developed countries with higher poverty rates, the mortality rate for children and adolescents is higher. Effects of overpopulation. One large part of combating overpopulation is improving reproductive education around family planning and contraceptive use. When the birth rate stays unchanged and the fatality rate decreases, this means an overall positive effect on population growth. This is due to the fact that, from 2010 to 2015, Africas population grew at a rate of 2.55 percent annually, with the continent still maintaining the highest pace of population growth among other continents. This is IvyPanda's free database of academic paper samples. People from developing countries often opt to move to areas more comfortable for living. Overpopulation: Major Causes & Devastating Effects 2022-10-28 Effects of overpopulation Rating: 6,4/10 Empowering women and girls to understand their options regarding family planning is crucial. This problem is especially severe in developing countries. People had many children, but a large number of them died before age five. In the past, poor people gave birth to a lot of children to make up for high mortality rates among babies. She is interested in global health & health equity, along with the intersections between science and policy. @media(min-width:0px){#div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-1-0-asloaded{max-width:336px!important;max-height:280px!important}}if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-leader-1','ezslot_18',149,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-leader-1-0');Thus, people have to move to cities to find work. IvyPanda. Visit the burning of fossil fuels, agricultural activities, and urbanization pages to learn more about how processes and phenomena related to the size and distribution of human populations affect global climate and ecosystems. But with innovation and industrialization, energy, food, water, and medical care became more available and reliable. While there is no easy fix to these complex issues, looking at the whole picture of economic, social, and environmental factors is crucial when attempting to lessen the overpopulation problem. A lot of people who survive due to the advancement of medicine live in societies that cannot provide enough resources for a large population. The overuse of coal, oil, and natural gas has been shown to have serious, lasting effects on the environment. Besides, the goods and services produced are not distributed equally: generally, areas that are the most densely populated suffer from the lack of food, clothing, health care, shelter, and basic modern conveniences (leaving alone luxury goods) whereas developed countries encounter the problem of oversaturation. Where will these fast-growing cities be? Fossil fuels are used in many different occasions in our lives, for example for driving our cars or also for the production of other daily life products. Gradually, this economic development created a middle class and, after the work of union activists, ultimately raised the standard of living and health care for the impoverished labor demographic. A crowded society is a restrictive society; an overcrowded society becomes an authoritarian, repressive and murderous society.. The UN reports that high-income and upper-middle-income countries contribute about 85% of global carbon dioxide emissions. This will be devastating in the long term. Your email address will not be published. It could lead to conflicts, hoarding resources, and many more horrific consequences. Overpopulation refers to the state in which the Earth cannot regenerate the resources used by the worlds population each year. Voluntary sterilization should also be allowed as an option. In the words of economist Julian Simon, Whatever the rate of population growth is, historically it has been that the food supply increases at least as fast, if not faster. Since Ehrlichs initial fear-mongering regarding an overpopulation-induced Armageddon, the planets population has more than doubled. Another related problem of overpopulation is the depletion of natural resources. This leads to soil pollution and also affects our groundwater in an adverse way since chemicals through the soil. Tackling overpopulation: what are the solutions? Most experts warn that overpopulation and a lack of resources will likely breed unrest and conflict. Those who are not able to do that will be left behind, which results in an increased mortality rate. Another reason for overpopulation is that many people believe it is a sin to abort or even to use contraceptives. The risk for such an event is especially severe if we look at our oceans. The increase in population leads to a higher demand for food, clothes, homes, and energy. There are various reasons for that, but the most crucial factor is that they can barely afford basic needs, so it is hard to expect to have access to any contraceptive. Thus, many people will try to migrate into countries which are not that much affected by the global warming problem and which provide higher living standards. Another way to fight overpopulation relates to science fiction literature. Malaysia and South Africa reached this point in 34 years, Bangladesh in 20 years, and Iran in 10 years. Overall, this has left many wondering whether extreme population growth projections are legitimate or merely groundless panic perpetuated by alarmists. It is not regarded as a big issue even by the world governments, which do not take measures to prevent it (e.g. Help your students understand the impact humans have on the . In addition, overpopulation is also likely to lead to an increase in noise pollution due to higher population density. People not only consume more than the planet can offer but also do irreparable damage to the environment (which increases proportionally with the population growth). For this reason, population growth remained largely stagnant. As weve established, lack of family planning especially in poorer countries is one of the main drivers of overpopulation. Its critical to understand the factors enabling such rapid population growth and what we can do to curb the adverse effects of overpopulation. Because poverty worsens overpopulation and vice versa, investing in less developed countries with international aid, fair trade, and global justice will all help bring poverty and population rates down. World Future Review, 4(3), 23-32. The more the population, the more the requirement for natural resources like water, minerals, petroleum, etc. During the Industrial Revolution, a period of history in Europe and North America where there were great advances in science and . Nonetheless, an ever-expanding human population is an immense social and economic challenge that necessitates the alignment of different national interests, especially with regards to reproductive rights, resource availability, and environmental concerns. Nearly half of pregnancies between the years of 2010-2014 were unplanned. Moreover, some animals will be contaminated by eating crops containing high levels of pesticides. This is due to the fact that poor people usually do not have pension schemes and thus depend on their children to provide for them when they are old. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-child_policy, https://www.compassion.com.au/blog/why-do-the-poor-have-large-families, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_overpopulation. What is causing overpopulation in the world today? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. This is something to be celebrated, but it is a contributing factor to the growing human population. Throughout human history, birth and death rates have always counterbalanced each other, which ensured that Earth had a maintainable population growth level. Thus began the second transition stage. However, a broader global focus on guaranteeing family planning as a human right remains essential. It is only logical that an increase in the world's population will cause additional strains on resources. Increased demand for the worlds supply of food and water may lead to increased conflicts. A lot of parents feel embarrassed to discuss sex-related issues with children, which results in dangerous, unprotected sexual activities and unwanted pregnancies. The Industrial Revolution altered every aspect of society, and fostered a greater sense of global interconnectedness. This demand not only adds pressure to our already-strained resources but also increases the chance of conflict, large-scale disasters, and environmental degradation. We already see this nowadays as in many cities, it is almost not possible for people with average salary jobs to live there. Ultimately, apocalyptic population growth fears are overblown, and as such, draconian population control regulations are unnecessary. However, on average, only two survived to adulthood. Pollution 7. Overpopulation refers to the problem where Earth cannot make enough resources for the worlds population. Share it! These resources include fossil fuels (oil, gas, and coal), minerals, trees, water, and wildlife, especially in the oceans. Overview Modern proponents of the concept have suggested that overpopulation, population growth and overconsumption are interdependent [20] [21] [22] and collectively are the primary drivers of human-caused environmental problems such as climate change [23] [24] and biodiversity loss. Possible solutions will also be suggested. It is now possible for partners who are unable to conceive to have a baby after they undergo fertility treatment. Updates? Since the production of food and other goods became quite due to the use of machines and the use of fertilizer and pesticides, people were able to raise more children, which in turn also raised more children. June 15, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/overpopulation-causes-effects-and-consequences/. By Eric Updated: March 14, 2022 Overpopulation refers to the problem where Earth cannot make enough resources for the world's population. Despite such differences, prices continue to grow everywhere. @media(min-width:0px){#div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-box-4-0-asloaded{max-width:336px!important;max-height:280px!important}}if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-box-4','ezslot_15',142,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-box-4-0');The industrial as well as the agricultural revolution had a big contribution to the overpopulation issue. Moreover, local tribes lose their homes and their whole culture. which means that people are forced to pay more and more to survive. Water is the worlds most precious resource. Better awareness. Technological advances improving the quality of life and increasing lifespan lead to the unceasing population growth. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. student. However, this increases the likelihood of the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which can have immense adverse effects on humans as well as on human-environmental interactions. Green Coast is supported by its readers. There are many other reasons too which are beyond these positive reasons that lead to overpopulation. It is believed to be the major leading cause of overpopulation. In the United States, the average person uses almost five times more than the sustainable yield of the planet. Education is key, also in the context to mitigate the overpopulation problem. @media(min-width:0px){#div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-banner-1-0-asloaded{max-width:336px!important;max-height:280px!important}}if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'environmental_conscience_com-banner-1','ezslot_16',144,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-banner-1-0');This led to an increase in wealth which resulted in more children and thus in a higher population number. Better health care. Moreover, many people all over the world are forced to leave their homes due to conflicts or famine. (2023) 'Overpopulation: Causes, Effects and Consequences'. The mortality rate, especially in poor countries, is likely to increase due to overpopulation. All of which add to the overall problem of climate change. Thus, while birthrates fall in the U.S., each persons impact is damaging our environment more. During this time, the continent of Europe was in even poorer condition than the modern-day definition of a developing region, and was afflicted with inferior public health, sustenance, and medical facilities.
Role Of Sodium-potassium Pump In Action Potential,
Articles C
causes and consequences of overpopulation
