Human overpopulation refers to the idea that it is increasing at a fast pace to be sustained by its resources and environment. For most of human history, population size has remained relatively stable. However, technological innovation and industrialization have increased the availability and reliability of energy, food, water, and medical supplies. This has led to the problem of overpopulation, occurred long ago, but its effects are getting prolonged as we go ahead in time.
As a result, the world’s population continues to overgrow, with dramatic overpopulation environmental issue impacting global climate and ecosystems. We need technological and social innovations to help the world’s people adapt and mitigate climate and environmental change.
Causes of Overpopulation
● Increase in Life Expectancy
Advancements in science and the discovery of new technologies to combat life threatening diseases have nearly doubled life expectancy from the pre-modern age of 30 years. Now the average person is approaching his 70-year old age. It is one of the reasons why there are overpopulation problems. But that is not the only reason for population growth.
● Decrease in Infant Mortality Rate
A major (and perhaps most obvious) cause of population growth is the imbalance of births and deaths. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), infant mortality rates are declining globally, from 8.8 million in 1990 to 4.1 million in 2017, causing overpopulation problems worldwide.
According to the 2013 Child and Infant Mortality report, the world has made significant progress in reducing infant mortality. The effects of human overpopulation have multiplied due to the drastic decline in infant mortality.
● Lack of Education
Overpopulation effects are most commonly found to be more common in underdeveloped countries compared to developed ones. The world’s population is multiplying, especially in developing countries, due to a lack of adequate education on preventive measures.
In developing countries, people know few precautions to avoid pregnancy. As a result, it turned out that the family had so many children that they could not afford to feed them. It also leads to lower living standards. Governments often have failed to raise awareness and education about the problem of overpopulation and how to reduce it. If people were informed about the overpopulation effects, they could start taking preventive measures.
How Does Overpopulation Affect the Environment
● Depletion of Natural Resources
It is not surprising that large amounts of resources are used to meet the needs of a vast population. It is a fact in economics that resources are finite and conditions are infinite. As the population grows, so does the strain on natural resources.
Some natural resources, such as air, sunlight, and water, are abundant in nature, while others are scarce, such as fossil fuels, coal, and minerals. Due to the effects of human overpopulation and excessive demand for this limited amount of resources, sooner or later, it will indeed be depleted.
● Loss of Freshwater
Overpopulation and a constant need for industrial products are causing fresh water to be lost to rivers and oceans. Factories dump all their waste into rivers and lakes, resulting in a loss of freshwater. Water pollution is not limited to sources of industrial waste. Domestic water sources due to overpopulation
also contribute significantly to pollution and freshwater loss in the aquatic environment.
● Deforestation
The human overpopulation effects made it impossible for humans to build and live in houses, making it difficult for the particular animals to move from one place to another across forests. The decision was made to clear the forests entirely to build a farm and increase the agricultural capacity.
The downside of deforestation isn’t just cutting down the trees that provide fresh oxygen. Unfortunately, it also means that wild animals lose their homes as their natural habitats have been conquered by humans and turned into roads, houses or farms.
Overpopulation Solutions
Overpopulation environmental issue is not an overnight problem and cannot be solved in a day. Controlling overpopulation is a long-term process and requires a lot of planning. Our governments play a significant role in maintaining and finding overpopulation solutions.
It is the government’s responsibility to raise public awareness regarding;
- Family planning
- Education for women
- Reduction in poverty
- Incentive to people
Conclusion
Overpopulation effects and degraded environments pose many questions for us and even our very existence. One of the questions that hit us hard is, “Are we ready for the sixth extinction?” Are we doing justice to the environment? Are we giving nature what it deserves? How long can the planet withstand the burden of our exploitation?
All of these questions are still unanswered. As fellow citizens of the planet, we must control the problem of overpopulation for the next generation (only if they can see the environment the same way we do) and exercise our utmost discretion to prevent further deterioration of the environment.