Causes and Consequences of Overpopulation

Overpopulation refers to the problem where Earth cannot make enough resources for the world’s population. The average person is said to use more than 50% more than what is considered a sustainable level.

In the United States, the average person uses almost five times more than the sustainable yield of the planet. Right now, the world’s population is around 7.8 billion people and is growing by 80 million people per year.

The Earth’s supply of non-renewable resources is being used up. Scientists have been speaking out about this problem since the 1970s.

Overpopulation and overconsumption lead to a large range of problems, from climate change to political unrest. A variety of factors play into these unsustainable trends, including a declining mortality rate, agricultural advancements, underutilized contraception, and immigration.

Causes of Overpopulation

Advancements in medical care have led to an imbalance between births and deaths. Infant mortality rates are decreasing globally, treatments and vaccines are readily available for many people, and treatments for illnesses are constantly getting more effective.

Lifespans are increasing across the globe. Humans are now living much longer than our ancestors, with the global average life expectancy more than doubling since 1990.

Better medical facilities mean that illnesses that took thousands of lives are now being cured. Vaccines, antibiotics, and a stable food supply tipped the mortality scales in favor of humans. This is something to be celebrated, but it is a contributing factor to the growing human population.

Agricultural advancements have increased food production exponentially since the beginning of the 20th century. The use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides helps increase crop production. This increased accessibility to food led to a larger population.

Methods of preventing pregnancies are highly underutilized. Nearly half of pregnancies between the years of 2010-2014 were unplanned. Hundreds of millions of women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using modern contraceptives.

This could be due to any number of reasons which include social norms or religious beliefs that discourage birth control, fear or previous experience with adverse side effects, and the unfortunate fact that many women do not get to make decisions about sex and family planning. On the other side of this discussion, the global fertility rate has fallen over the years, and the average number of children women are having has decreased significantly.

Women in 1950 had an average of 5 children compared with 2.4 children per woman now. The use of contraceptives is up too from 54% usage in 1990 to 57.4% usage in 2015. Continuing to educate and allow women access to family planning methods could be a significant, humane way to curb overpopulation.

There is an influx of people moving to developed countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. These countries are considered the best for medical services, education, safety, and employment.

An increase in people moving to these places can cause strain to the systems in place. The increase in population leads to a higher demand for food, clothes, homes, and energy. If one area becomes overcrowded, it will cause a shortage of resources.

Overpopulation Consequences

The consequences of the current overpopulation problem are severe. They can lead to the depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation, and the loss of fresh water. Overpopulation also contributes to global warming and climate change.

Right up front, an increase in population means there will be a need for more houses and other resources. This contributes to deforestation, decreased biodiversity, and spikes in emissions. All of which add to the overall problem of climate change.

Humans expanding into wild areas directly correlates with deforestation and depletion of other natural resources. It also increases the risk of disasters and pandemics.

Recent pathogens including COVID-19, Zika virus, and Ebola all originated in animals and mutated to be infectious to humans. The more often humans come into contact with animals, the higher the risk for an outbreak virus.

Water is the world’s most precious resource. Only 1% of the world’s freshwater supply is fresh and available for consumption.

Overpopulation will put a strain on the water supply. The demand for the water supply will put people living in lower-income areas and developing countries at an even higher risk of not having enough clean water.

Increased demand for the world’s supply of food and water may lead to increased conflicts. The scarcity of these products could trigger political unrest or an increase in violence.

Wars are currently being fought over land, water, and energy resources. If overpopulation and the depletion of resources continue, this activity may continue or even increase in frequency and intensity.

The air quality has gone down over the years too. The overuse of coal, oil, and natural gas has been shown to have serious, lasting effects on the environment.

The increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has contributed to global warming. This environmental pollution is contributing to the polar ice caps melting, changing climate patterns, and sea-level rise.

Not to mention the horrid effects it is having on the health of humans. Asthma, cancer, and a smattering of other ailments are all directly related to polluted air and water.

A higher unemployment rate is predicted to accompany the increased demand for Earth’s resources. The demand for products will cause the prices for essential commodities such as food, housing, and medical care to increase.

People will have to pay more for these items, and there is a possibility of there not being enough jobs to go around. As unemployment goes up in an area, so does the crime rate.

Final thoughts on overpopulation

Overpopulation is a subject that needs to be addressed. The growing number of people on the planet is contributing to the depletion of resources. Deforestation, habitat loss, air pollution, and water pollution are all side effects of the growing population.

The planet can only sustain so much. Right now, humans are taking more from the Earth than they can sustainably provide.

This will be devastating in the long term. It could lead to conflicts, hoarding resources, and many more horrific consequences.