The Explosion of Population and CO2

As I briefly touched on unregulated population growth in my last blog about the benefits of vertical farming, I decided to delve deeper into the topic. Population growth has always been an inherent part of our society, but has started to become a larger concern over the past few decades. According to the UN, the US population has more than tripled in size since 1950. As the population continues to expand at such a rate, sustainability and welfare of future generations is starting to be questioned. By developing a better understanding of the relationship between population growth and environmental implications, we can seek to create a strategic plan for coexistence. 

Firstly, why does population growth happen? Well, the obvious answer is increasing birth rates. High birth rates are driven by economic and social factors. Poor welfare programs and infrastructure can also lead to high birth rates such as a lack of healthcare services and access to family planning. On the other hand, technological and health advancements have also led to high birth rates. As there have been advancements in medicine, healthcare, and sanitation, mortality rates significantly declined, leading to more stability and growth in our population. Such advancements have also caused longer life expectancies, causing a larger population growth factor. 

Although these advancements are vital for our well-being, the unstable growth of the population does have various environmental implications which must be immediately addressed. One major implication which I addressed in my last blog was that the agriculture industry will not be able to support a population growing at this rate. Feeding the population that we are predicted to have in only a few decades will not be possible unless either the agricultural sector adapts or the rate of population growth is reduced. Rapid population growth places a significant strain on our nonrenewable resources such as fossil fuels, land, and freshwater. With a larger population, there is a larger demand for production and industrialization, depleting the planet of these essential resources. The scarcity of these resources is detrimental to the well-being of humans as well as ecosystems around the world. The International Union for Conservation of Nature indicates that the number of threatened species increases rapidly where the population growth rates are high.

Population growth also drives rapid urbanization in large population centers, putting immense pushes for more infrastructure, housing, and other public services. This pressure, combined with the growth of the population leads to further issues of poverty, economic inequality, and the social unrest which comes with a lack of social resources. This impact is worsened for developing nations which are already struggling with accommodating their current population. As for already developed countries, their carbon emissions are significantly increased as they require more resources to live. For example, the United States has 5 percent of the world’s population, yet it is responsible for an astonishing 25 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. In the 20th century, where there was a fourfold increase in population growth, the carbon emissions increased twelvefold. With increases in the growth rate of population, there is an even larger increase in carbon emissions.

However, population growth can be used to our advantage with the right resources available. By investing in proper education, informed decisions can be made regarding family planning. Improving welfare and family planning programs can also help prevent the rapid growth of our population. Creating affordable family planning programs and reproductive health care services can help ensure the sustainability of our population. Involvement by both governments, and non-government organizations is essential to ensure this sustainability is promoted through education and services. Additionally, addressing the growth of the population directly through more sustainable practices and conservation efforts is crucial. Because it is very difficult to place a significant halt on the growth rate of the population, we must look for ways to adapt our planet to accommodate the growing number of people inhabiting it. Prioritizing renewable forms of energy and agriculture (like vertical farming) can help decrease the growing need for infrastructure and energy. Sustainable urban planning is also vital to ensure that our planet can hold all these people securely without compromising the wellbeing of our communities. Finally, there is a responsibility on the government to better address those in poverty. As of 2020, there are roughly 42 million people living under the poverty line. As long as our population keeps growing this number will continue to increase. Addressing poverty will help create a more equitable society where the population growth can actually fuel economic growth rather than decline. 

Fighting population growth requires a combined effort from governments and external organizations to help promote education and general welfare. Although our planet is not currently capable of sustaining a growing population and the environmental implications it will bring, prioritizing sustainable practices can help change this. Most importantly, poverty has to be combated in order for population growth to be a benefit rather than a harm. 

Works Cited

Mayer, Melissa. “What Are Environmental Problems due to Population Growth?” Sciencing, 2018, sciencing.com/environmental-problems-due-population-growth-8337820.html.

The Royal Society. “How Does the Growing Global Population Affect Biodiversity? | Royal Society.” Royalsociety.org, 2022, royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/biodiversity/how-does-the-growing-global-population-and-increasing-consumption-affect-biodiversity/.

United Nations. “Population Growth, Environmental Degradation and Climate Change.” United Nations, 2022, http://www.un.org/en/desa/population-growth-environmental-degradation-and-climate-change.