Exploring the Impact of Overpopulation on Environmental Challenges

Overpopulation is a pressing global issue that significantly influences environmental degradation through increased demand for resources and contribution to climate change. This paper explores the multifaceted ways in which rising population levels exacerbate issues such as desertification, hunger, species depletion, and various social challenges. It further examines the direct correlation between overpopulation and environmental changes including climate variations, water scarcity, and pollution. By presenting current statistics that highlight the rapid growth of the global population alongside the ensuing demand on land and resources, this study underscores the potential for worsening living standards and economic instability worldwide. The research identifies sustainable solutions such as education at elementary levels, contraceptive methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and broader environmental policies aimed at reducing human impact. The discussion concludes with an evaluation of how these strategies can be implemented effectively to combat overpopulation-related issues before they escalate into more severe global crises.

Running head: Global Environment 1
Global Environment

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Abstract
The globe is at the edge of approx 7 billion people and in this world overpopulation is growing
issue of concern. The analyst would like to create an assignment to be positioned strategically in
the regions which are densely populated. It would contain a report that showcases the near-future
where the problem of overpopulation will have disastrous. The overall scene will of destruction
in thought of making the people more aware of the results and outcomes of our movements and
actions.

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Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Background......................................................................................................................................5
Body of the report............................................................................................................................6
Causes of overpopulation.............................................................................................................6
Solutions to the Overpopulation..................................................................................................8
Evaluation and Discussion...............................................................................................................9
Findings, Suggestions and Conclusion..........................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
It is matter of worry that the growth in the population will eventually provides the holocaust in
the environment. However, the issue is more complex and difficult than our thinking’s. This is a
matter of fact that the population of the world is growing by on an average 74 million annually.
Growth of the population is not symmetrically distributed globally. Population is only comprised
of one of many factors affecting the environment. By analyze the topic from near it is a matter of
focus that the whole population from the past 50 years consumed more resources than the
complete of the humanity before these 50 years (Pereira, et. al., 2010). The 20th century is
observing the highest rise in the population of the world in the history of humans. In this
assignment the analyst is required to write a paper to analyze and evaluate the factors that may
influence and worsen the environment globally with the increasing population. Also in this paper
the analyst mentioned the manners that can be useful to minimize these influences on the
environment.

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Background
From the beginning of the century, there is a great pressure over the natural resources; this also
results as threatening the health of the public and development. Shortage of the water, exhaustion
of the soil, pollution of air and water, loss of forests, and depletion of coastline troubles many
areas (Sheffield and Landrigan, 2011). As the population of the world grows, the biggest global
challenge is to enhance the living of standards of the people without harming the environment.
Consumption of resources is much faster in the developed countries they actually reproduce and
regenerate the resources. Most of the countries which are at developing stage with the rapid
growth of the population are facing the urgency of the requirement to enhance the living of the
standards of the people. As the human beings are the most important factor in destroying the
nature and the environment to meet their current requirements, we are destroying the resources
required for the future (Foley, DeFries, Asner, Barford, Bonan, Carpenter & Helkowski, 2005).

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Body of the report
Overpopulation is an unwanted situation where the number of existing population of the humans
exceeds the capability of carrying of Earth. There are many factors which are quiet responsible
for the overpopulation. Some of the few causes which ultimate results in overpopulation are
diminishing rate of mortality, better facilities of Medicare, depletion of precious and valuable
resources (Homer-Dixon, 2010).
From the past 60 years, the population growth has boomed and has results into the
overpopulation. Developing technology with each coming year has influenced humanity in many
ways in which one of the capability to save the lives and develop better treatment of medical for
all. In this part of the report, the analyst defines the factors that may influence and worsen the
global nature and the environment as the increase in the population.
Causes of overpopulation
Overpopulation is solely responsible for worsen the nature and global environment. Some of the
factors causing overpopulation are as follows:
1. Diminishing death rate: The main factor behind the term overpopulation is difference
between the on an average birth rate and death rate in the population. It is a matter of fact that, if
the number of the Childs born each year equals the number of adults that die, then it will
stabilize the population growth. The agriculture is also one of main reason that provided the

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ancestors with the capability to stay fit and nutritional without the process of hunting. This is the
reason for the 1st imbalance between the 2 rates.
2. Better medical facilities: Advancement of the technology constitutes the reason for the
permanent disturbance regarding the balance. Many diseases which assist in maintaining the
balance of the two rates were defeated because of the discoveries in the field of medical science.
Illness which is the main reason behind the death of the individuals now was cured because of
the vaccine inventions (Kennedy, 2011). Mixing the rise in the supply of food with fewer means
of death became the initiating point of overpopulation.
3. Advancement of technology in the treatment of fertility: Couple who were unable to
conceive pregnancy now has their own babies because of the advancement in the technology and
more discoveries in the field of medical sciences. There are many types of effective medicines
which can raise the odds of conception and results to increase in the birth rate. However, it is
also a matter of the fact that in today’s time pregnancies are by far safer than the past.
4. Lack of family planning: Developing nations are having a large number of populations
living under the line of poverty and are illiterates and have no knowledge about the planning of
family. Their children married at an early age which again raises the odds of generating more
kids. There is a lack of understanding and knowledge in these people; they are unable to
understand the harmful influences of overpopulation (Buhaug, et. al., 2010).

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5. More hands to overcome the issue of Poverty: From a long period of time, there are a
few people in the population who had enough amount of money to live their lives in comfort.
The rest of the people faced poverty and would produce a large number of families to make up
for the high infant mortality rate. These families require a more number of hands to overcome
the poverty which again plays an important role in producing more number of kids and results in
overpopulation.
6. Immigration: There are some few people who prefer to move to the countries which are
already developed like Australia, UK, USA and Canada for capturing the better facilities
available there in form of education, employment, medical and security. The conclusion is that
they people settle over there and overcrowd those places also (Cafaro and Crist, 2012 ). This
movement results in scarcity and lack of resources. By this process overall population of the
world remains the same but it only affects the population density which makes that place
basically over crowded.
Solutions to the Overpopulation
In this particular part of the report, the analyst provides some solutions to overcome the issue of
the overpopulation which are as follows:
1. More awareness towards family planning: Raising awareness across the individuals in
context of the family planning and letting them know about the harmful after effects of the
overpopulation can actually assist in restricting the growth of the population. Utilization of

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contraceptive methods available and let them know about several safe techniques of sex can be
the best way to avoid any unwanted pregnancies.
2. Better knowledge of education regarding the sex: Imparting the education regarding
the sex to the kids which are young at basic level should be necessary. Generally, the information
provided to them about the sex is incomplete which results to their curiosity about the sex and
also results in unawareness of the contraceptives across the sexually active teenagers (de
Oliveira, 2016). Thus it is very important for the teacher and the parents to make their child
aware of the educating regarding the sex.
3. Better knowledge: Educating the children’s helps them understand the requirement to
have 1 or 2 children at the most. Education plays an important role in understanding the latest
technologies which can seriously helps in overcoming these types of issues.
4. Benefits in the tax and concessions: Several countries government might have to arrive
with the several policies regarding the exemption in the tax policies to overcome the issue of
overpopulation. One of the topmost policies is to waive of particular part or segment of the
income tax or lessening rates of income tax for the married couples who are having only 1 or 2
children’s. As the human being is more inclined toward the money consideration, this may
generate some results which are quite positive (Kinzig, Ehrlich, Alston, Arrow, Barrett,
Buchman & Ostrom, 2013).

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Evaluation and Discussion
Overpopulation is a leading and foremost driver of the desertification, hunger, depletion of the
species and a variety of social maladies across the globe. At present, there are seven billion
people on the planet and the number is growing by passing of every mini second. Among all the
challenges of the environment facing by the world, overpopulation is one of the challenges that
slip sometimes under the thoughts. Overpopulation also contributes to several other issues of the
environment like change in climate, shortage of water and pollution (Zografos and Howarth,
2010). Overpopulation will place great demands of the land and the resources, leading to the
widespread issues of the environment in addition to the standard of living and influencing the
global economies.

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Findings, Suggestions and Conclusion
Overpopulation is a catastrophe that strongly and heavily stands with the diversification in the
environment as one of the topmost challenges facing the humanity in today’s world.
There are several ways by which this problem can put to an end which are educating the
children’s at the elementary level, using the contraceptive methods to avoid the problem of
unwanted pregnancy and issue of overpopulation at a time.
If this issue doesn’t diversify, the problem highlighted in this report may continue to develop
unabated. And if that happens, this could lead the humanity to untold problems and issues in the
future.

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References
Buhaug, H., Gleditsch, N. P., & Theisen, O. M. (2010). Implications of climate change for armed
conflict. Social dimensions of climate change: Equity and vulnerability in a warming
world, 75-101.
Cafaro, P., & Crist, E. (Eds.). (2012). Life on the brink: environmentalists confront
overpopulation. University of Georgia Press.
de Oliveira, J. V. G. (2016). Suffering, Challenge and Overcoming. A Christian Perspective on
Disability. IJAHSS (International Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences), 1(3),
30-37.
Foley, J. A., DeFries, R., Asner, G. P., Barford, C., Bonan, G., Carpenter, S. R., & Helkowski, J.
H. (2005). Global consequences of land use. science, 309(5734), 570-574.
Homer-Dixon, T. F. (2010). Environment, scarcity, and violence. Princeton University Press.
Kennedy, P. (2011). Preparing for the twenty-first century. Vintage.
Kinzig, A. P., Ehrlich, P. R., Alston, L. J., Arrow, K., Barrett, S., Buchman, T. G., & Ostrom, E.
(2013). Social norms and global environmental challenges: the complex interaction of
behaviors, values, and policy. BioScience, 63(3), 164-175.
Pereira, H. M., Leadley, P. W., Proença, V., Alkemade, R., Scharlemann, J. P., Fernandez-
Manjarrés, J. F., ... & Chini, L. (2010). Scenarios for global biodiversity in the 21st
century. Science, 330(6010), 1496-1501.