The human population has been rapidly growing in the past two centuries. According to data, the human population has significantly increased from 1 billion in 1800 to nearly eight billion in 2020. This is a growth rate of about 84 billion people annually at a rate of 1.1% (UN, 2020). The human population is expected to grow immensely for the next several decades before reaching the optimum level and start declining. Various factors are responsible for the high population growth rate. They include high life expectancy, high fertility rates, and an age structure with more young people than the old (Cruz & Ahmed, 2018). The advancement in medicine and technology has been the contributing factor that has led to improved lifestyles and increased the life expectancy of human beings. The high population growth poses mixed implications on the planet. This paper analyzes the impact of population growth on the environment, natural resources, and climate change in both developing and developed countries.
Population Growth in Developing Countries
Population in developing countries has been steadily increasing, with the number of people in urban centers in the developing world estimated to grow by more than one billion. At least 97% of the global population growth is expected from developing countries (Babiso et al., 2020). The African continent has the highest population growth rate, with an average family size of 5 to 7 children per household. One of the substantial reasons for the high growth rate in developing countries is the decline in mortality rate and a young population with a high fertility rate. Additionally, the improving living standards in these countries are giving people an ideal environment to settle early and start families.
However, lack of education and high poverty are other factors that have considerably contributed to the high population growth in many developing nations.
Women from poverty-stricken families tend to have an average of about seven to eight children in their lifetime compared to their counterparts from wealthy backgrounds. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation established that the birth rate in sub-Saharan Africa was high in areas where poverty levels were remarkably high (Corker et al., 2022). Most households with large families in developing nations spend most of their resources on survival means, thus leaving little for improving the welfare of their families and society.
Lack of education among populations in many developing countries has led to low use of contraceptives and other family planning methods. Many girls and young women have been unable to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Besides, the lack of job opportunities for the young population in developing countries is another notable problem that has significantly contributed to the high population growth rate. Lack of employment has made it difficult for parents to invest in their children by offering them education and modern medication. Such children grow up vulnerable to factors that contribute to teen pregnancies and early marriages. Furthermore, the lack of economic opportunities tends to make many idle such that they concentrate more on reproducing than engaging in meaningful economic activities.
Developed Nations
Developed nations generally have a low population growth rate compared to developing countries. According to research, while the developing countries are projected to experience a population growth rate of 20.7%, the population growth rate of the developed world is estimated at 3.3% (Vespa et al., 2018). Despite having conducive factors that favor a high population growth rate, such as advanced medicine, and better job opportunities, among other factors, the trend of population growth in the developed nations is edging closer to the declining population. Various factors can be used to explain the trend in population growth in wealthy countries. For instance, in many developed nations, the fertility rate is generally lower due to the lifestyle many people choose. The economic advancement in these countries makes it easier for populations to access family planning education (Vespa et al., 2018). Additionally, there is a meaningful increase in the availability of contraceptives and other birth control mechanisms. Furthermore, the high standards of living and the need to access high-quality services make the cost of caring for many children in developed countries a burden that many couples tend to avoid.
Religious and social beliefs in the developed world have played an essential role in determining the population growth rate. The empowerment of women and the enlightenment of their rights have substantially increased the rates of abortions (Fiala, 2019). Due to education and empowerment, many women in developed countries have become increasingly aware of their freedom and can choose when to start having children. This is contrary to the culture of many developing countries, where women do not have freedom in determining whether to have a pregnancy or not. Besides, the advancement of education has increasingly impacted women and empowered them to focus on career advancement instead, thus delaying family matters (Vespa et al., 2018). In developed societies, such women tend to have children late in their lives than those in the developing world.
There are emerging social beliefs where couples in the developed world want to deliberately delay having children until they have fully explored their passions and dreams. In this case, children are perceived an obstacle to achieving specific goals or exploring life to its maximum degree (Crawford et al., 2019). Additionally, children are often considered to present a high degree of commitment that may limit the couples from engaging in certain activities in life. Additionally, the increased cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have made populations in the developed world more cautious of their sexual life than in developing countries (Fiala, 2019). As a result, reproduction is approached with a lot of precaution in developed countries than in developing nations.
Methodology
To effectively understand the concept of population growth, it is significant to understand the population censuses and demographic statistics. Research institutions tend to employ the permanent resident population technique to evaluate the number of people in different demographic regions (Shi et al., 2019). This mechanism involves assessing the number of people who have been living within a specific area as of the last date of the respective year. This methodology allows the researcher to calculate the population of the given year by analyzing the population data of the preceding years based on people’s natural and mechanical movements. Calculating population using this method involves stating at zero-age, which consists of the number of live birth during the respective year.
Organizations make population projections based on the current fertility rate, mortality, and immigration trends. Various assumptions are used during population projections depending on the organization and the socio-economic factors of a region. The first assumption is that the targeted population growth rate is realistic and conforms to the current demographic and socio-economic factors within the study area (Riecke et al., 2019). Secondly, it is presumed that favorable socio-economic factors will accompany the projected demographic figures within the study region. Thirdly, it is assumed that the projections are made based on unfavorable economic and social conditions within the area of study. The projected population in this research is distributed based on yearly change, net change, and the population density per square kilometer.
Results
Data from several organizations indicate that the global population growth rate is increasing rapidly. For instance, according to the United Nations population projections, the world’s population is expected to grow by at least 2 billion from 2020 to 2050 (UN, 2020). This translates into a growth rate of 0.50%. Additionally, the population is expected to grow by at least 1.1 billion between 2050 and 2100 (UN, 2020). It is likely that the population density by 2100 to be 73 people per square kilometer, up from the current density of 53 people per square kilometer.
Discussion
Implications of Population Growth
The rapid population growth is expected to negatively impact the environment and create increased competition for resources among human beings. There is an expected depletion of natural resources due to overexploitation to meet the needs of the growing number of people. The increased population density from 53 to 73 indicates the population pressure per square kilometer, leading to increased resource competition and a possible conflict between human beings and wildlife (Hendrixson & Hartmann, 2019). More population requires more land for the construction of houses and more exploitation of the environment to increase consumer goods. Besides, the increased population requires more transport and industrial activities, which negatively impacts the environment.
Environmental pollution
The growth of the population is expected to lead to severe levels of environmental pollution. Due to increased industrial activities, the number of carbon emissions to be released into the environment is expected to increase considerably. Besides, the amount of carbon gases will remain in the atmosphere for a considerable period due to a lack of enough trees to reduce pollution. Therefore, population growth will increase air pollution and propagate the problem of climate change. Additionally, water pollution will be a major problem due to the release of industrial effluents into water sources. Besides, increased use of farm pesticides and other chemicals will damage and pollute the water when they are washed by rain to the water sources.
The pollution problem is expected to be higher in developed countries than in developing countries. In many developed countries, the primary source of economic activity is industrialization which is one of the main contributors to environmental pollution. Developed countries and some developing nations account for more than half of the carbon emissions in the world. However, many developing countries are rapidly industrializing and focusing on production. This shift is likely to contribute to the problem of carbon emission in the future.
Deforestation
Deforestation is another major problem likely to be influenced by population growth. The forest ecosystem plays a meaningful role in global biodiversity. Besides offering natural habitats for millions of world species, human beings are considered a high risk to the forests. The rapid growth of the population will create a scarcity in areas for settlement and space for economic development (Fischer et al., 2020). This will force people to clear forests to acquire land to meet their needs. As a result, deforestation’s current 31% forest cover is likely to be reduced (Fischer et al., 2020). Forests are a considerable food source and tend to minimize the effects of natural disasters such as soil erosion and slow down violent winds and tides. Besides, forests are essential to water catchment areas where most rivers have their source. The decrease in forest cover will have detrimental effects on both the environment and the human population. There will be a scarcity of food to support the growing population and the extinction of many species that will lack habitat and breeding areas. Besides, deforestation will make many wildlife homeless and lead to increased conflict between animals and people.
Land Degradation
Population increase will have a negative impact on the quality of the land. Land is a crucial resource that serves as a natural habitat for many microorganisms and offers nutrients to various plants. Additionally, the land is an essential water source for the survival of people and animals. The quality of land is critical in the agricultural sector in ensuring the production of quality farm products. However, with increased population density, the human population is expected to exert significant pressure on land leading to its degradation (Hendrixson & Hartmann, 2019). Furthermore, overexploitation of land through constant farming to produce enough food to meet the needs of the high population is another way of degrading the quality of the land. As a result of land degradation, the land will lose its strength and ability to withstand external pressure leading to increased soil erosion and landslides. Besides, several factors often impact land degradation, including deforestation, overgrazing, and industrialization. With population growth, these contributing factors are likely to increase remarkably to meet the needs of the people.
Climate Change
With the problem of climate change threatening the survival of the current and future generations, rapid population growth is likely to increase the effects of climate change in the world. One of the main contributions of climate change is the burning of fossil fuels, which notably increases the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Fischer et al., 2020). People burn fossil fuels to produce electricity, heat, and transportation, thus an enormous amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Industrial activities to generate economic growth have incomparably contributed to the greenhouse effect problem. With the projected population growth, these activities are expected to grow, producing more carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Climate change contributes to a large number of disasters that threaten the survival of the world. For instance, climate change has contributed to the rise of temperatures making many parts of the world hotter than usual. Additionally, climate change has led to rising sea levels, posing a threat to the cities built on the shores of the oceans. Worsening climatic conditions have contributed to frequent natural disasters, including wildfires, earthquakes, and floods (Fischer et al., 2020). Furthermore, drought has become rampant due to climate change threatening food security by disrupting seasons of agricultural production. The effects of climate change tend to be universal, where seasons change in all parts of the world. Therefore, climate change is experienced by both the developed and the developing world, although industrialized countries are the major contributor to greenhouse effects.
Congestion
Population growth poses the threat of congestion due to increased population density per square kilometer. More people will have to settle within one area leading to overcrowding and depletion of resources. Congestion of people is more likely to create a shortage of resources, especially in developing countries with low economies that can support the high number of people (Christodoulou & Christidis, 2020). This problem is likely to lead to low living conditions, poor sanitation, and poor house planning, which can result in the development of slums. Additionally, congestion is expected to increase social evils such as human trafficking, prostitution, and a high crime rate for people to generate income to sustain themselves. Besides, increased population density is likely to cause the production of unsustainable waste, which can further fuel other problems such as climate change.
The positive impact of Population Growth
With all the adverse effects that population growth offers to the planet, there are a few positive impacts of population growth. The positives of population growth are adequately felt in the economic sector. For instance, population growth increases human capital and offers a talent pool essential for creativity and innovation (Osiobe, 2019). As a result, more discoveries and technological advancements are made possible, leading to improved lives. Additionally, population growth influences economic growth due to increased human output in producing more goods and services. Furthermore, the population growth rate leads to a balanced demographic structure consisting of both the old and the young people (Osiobe, 2019). A balanced society is vital for creating a more comprehensive range of cultural and economic activities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the human population is rapidly growing in both the developed and developing world. The developing world has more population growth rate than the developed world. The lack of education on effective family planning methods is one of the major factors contributing to the high population growth rate in developing world. With the rapidly growing human population, the world’s future is at risk of various adverse effects. Some impacts of population growth on the planet include increased pollution, land degradation, deforestation, climate change, and congestion. On the positive side, a high population leads to a higher economic growth rate due to increased human capital.
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