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Overpopulation and Its Effects On Environment

The document discusses how population growth and climate change are interconnected issues threatening the environment. It notes that the global population has grown from 1 billion in 1810 to over 7 billion currently, straining earth's limited resources. Agriculture and industry associated with a rising population contribute greatly to deforestation, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. Solutions proposed include transitioning to renewable energy, enacting sustainable development policies, increasing access to contraception in developing countries, and encouraging individual efforts to reduce environmental impacts through lifestyle changes.

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Saradha
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60 views

Overpopulation and Its Effects On Environment

The document discusses how population growth and climate change are interconnected issues threatening the environment. It notes that the global population has grown from 1 billion in 1810 to over 7 billion currently, straining earth's limited resources. Agriculture and industry associated with a rising population contribute greatly to deforestation, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. Solutions proposed include transitioning to renewable energy, enacting sustainable development policies, increasing access to contraception in developing countries, and encouraging individual efforts to reduce environmental impacts through lifestyle changes.

Uploaded by

Saradha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Weathering the environmental storm as mankind grows larger

- U. Saradha

With ice caps melting, trees disappearing, temperature raising and pollution increasing, it’s
impossible to ignore climate change and the impact it has on our lives. It is a matter of concern
especially in our country where the leaders often attribute the failure of environmental policies to
the enormous and growing population of our country. Are these claims veracious?

Mankind touched the 1 billion population mark after many centuries in 1810. Just 120 years later,in
1930, the population stood at 2 billion. After another eighty eight years, here we are with a
population of 7.7 billion people across the globe. This is way beyond dangerous and definitely has a
profound impact on the blue planet. The rise in population leaves the earth with the responsibility to
feed more stomachs, quench more thirst and wave green flags to more industries. As we all know,
resources are finite and hence needless to say it leads to scarcity. This phenomenon has been
named as ‘Anthropocene epoch’, an umbrella term used to denote the commencement of
significant human impact on earth’s geology and ecosystems.

According to a report (prepared for United Nations- Reducing from Deforestation and forest
Degradation (REDD) and policymakers), agriculture is responsible for around 80% of deforestation
worldwide. Deforestation is the main cause for depletion in water resources, change in the chemical
composition of the atmosphere, instability in earth’s temperature and puts a massive threat on the
existence of various other species in the planet. The increase in agricultural produce is directly
proportional to the increase in industrialisation. The crippling effect of industrialisation is impossible
to ignore since the pollution levels of the industrial era is still used as a tool to measure pollution
levels. The CO2 emission levels of developed countries are higher and many of the countries fail to
shift to eco- friendly practices and prioritise their monetary goals. According to the data released by
Energy Information Administration, 98% of atmospheric CO2 comes from combustion of fossil fuels.

The blue planet does not have enough water to distribute amongst its growing population. Only
2.5% of water resources are water resources are fresh water, which is divided for industrial,
agricultural and other uses and hence we are left only with a small fraction of water that is available
as unpolluted drinking water.

Human beings are currently causing the greatest mass extinction of species since the extinction of
the dinosaurs 65 million years ago at rates 1000 to 10,000 times faster than normal (2012 update of
the UICN Red List of Threatened species) If present trends continue, scientists warn that within a few
decades, at least half of all plant and animal species on Earth will be extinct, as a result of climate
change, habitat loss, pollution, acidifying oceans, invasive species, over-exploitation of natural
resources, overfishing, poaching and human overpopulation .

Indigenous people across the globe are forced to leave their traditions and fit into other mainstream
systems due to deforestation and change in the ecosystem.
All the environmental problems leading to climate change are so inter connected that it becomes
impossible for the residents of Chennai or Bangalore cannot ignore the melting of icecaps elsewhere,
while solving the pertinent problem of water scarcity. The people of China will have to understand
climate change patterns in different countries to study the catastrophic 2016 China floods.

Thus the need of the hour is to look for sustainable solutions and committing to well- planned
environmental policies. Countries that top the Environmental performance index have proved that it
is possible to make a paradigm shift towards a sustainable future that is both safe and economically
viable. Switzerland ranks 1st in the EPI 2018 and their environmental policies focus vastly on
renewable energy. Likewise, Denmark promotes renewable energy and promotes cycling culture.
Innovations like Transit elevated bus of China can also be referred to. India ranks 177 out of 180 in
the same index and definitely has to devise policies centred around sustainable development just
like the ones mentioned above.

As far as overpopulation is concerned, developing countries need to be at the forefront in


introducing measures to control expanding population. Experts say building space habitats in
asteroid belts can help in keeping a tab on population but achieving the same through policy
decisions is more practical and cost efficient. It becomes crucial to throw light at the fact that
Worldwide 38% of the pregnancies were unintended in 1999( "The Potential of Long-acting
Reversible Contraception to Decrease Unintended Pregnancy") and 58% of the pregnancies in US in
the year 2008 were unintended ( "Shifts in Intended and Unintended Pregnancies in the United
States, 2001–2008"). In Thailand awareness about usage of contraceptives was given by distributing
it amongst medics, midwives and members of local communities and thus countering the problem.
Giving incentives and tax benefits, spreading awareness and the need to inculcate sex education in
the education system as well as a part of parenting would really help in taking us a long way ahead.

Wise policy decisions play a key role in paving way to a sustainable future but individual efforts also
matter. As citizens it becomes our collective responsibility to form local groups through which we
can educate each other and take informed decisions. New eco friendly merchandise, organic
products, farmers markets, clean-up events and other interesting initiatives are taken by many non-
governmental organizations and entrepreneurs. Many citizens are also trying to be carbon neutral by
consuming products based on their carbon footprint. It is high- time we volunteer to support these
golden causes. Replacing plastic toothbrushes, using ink pens, growing plants at your home and
other small changes in your day to day lives can help in making the planet greener.

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