Population explosion and its effect on the environment.

 

Population explosion and its effect on the environment

 

Population explosion:

Ø It is a sudden increase in number of individuals in a specific area at a given time.

Ø Population explosion is a cause of serious concern for all of us.

Ø Its impact is already showing in many areas caused by a sudden increase in population.

Factors responsible for population explosion:

Ø Increased birth rate (natality) due to better infant healthcare.

Ø Decreased death rate (mortality) due to advanced medical technologies.

Ø Increased supply and abundance of food due to agricultural developments and advancements.

Ø Overall, life expectancy increased due to various improvements in medical science and the increased difference between birth and death rates.

Ø Different thoughts of people. 

The rapid increase in human population is putting an incredible strain on our environment. While developed countries continue to pollute the environment and deplete their resources, developing countries are under increasing pressure to compete economically and their industrial advancements are damaging as well. This growth's demands on our global environment threaten the future of Earth's sustainable life. One of the largest environmental effects of human population growth is the problem of global warming. Some scientists fear that global warming will lead to rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions in the future. In order to support the growing population, forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Humans also continue to put a great demand on our planet's natural resources. Many non-renewable resources are being depleted due to the unrestrained fuel and energy use. Many parts of the world also suffer from a shortage of food and water. The growth of the population puts larger demands on our already limited resources. The environment on Earth is suffering from the growth of the global population.

The human population has experienced unprecedented growth, more than tripling since 1950. It reached almost 7.8 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow to over 8.6 billion in 2030, the target date for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The world population growth rate is 0.88 % (2022-23 ), and the world's population is 8.1 billion in 2023. The Bharat growth rate is 0.81 % (2022-23), and the current population of Bharat is 143 crores in 2023 (Approx)

Effects of Population Explosion on the Environment:

One of the factors responsible for environmental degradation is population explosion. Population explosion plays the most important role in shaping the socio-economic environment. Its effects are felt on the natural environment also. More population means more space to construct houses and the availability of more consumer goods. It also requires more means of transport, more fossil fuel consumption and more air, land and water pollution. Thus, the growth of the population leads to pollution of air, land and water. Different types of pollution are causing several physical problems that seriously affect the biological environment.

Some important Impacts:

 Generation of Waste and increased pollution:

Due to his destructive activities, man has dumped more and more waste in the environment. As the artificial waste is not transformed, it causes degradation and the capacity of the environment to absorb more waste is reduced. Further, waste leads to air and water pollution. One of the major issues that has lately been bothering environmentalists all over the world is global warming. Like glass in a greenhouse, gases like carbon monoxide admit the sun's light but tend to reflect downward the heat radiated from the ground below; trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere is called the greenhouse effect. The increasing population is causing environmental harm in addition to air pollution. Water pollution is also one of the increasing problems due to the population explosion. Water is considered the essence of life. As in the case of air pollution, the increasing population calls for increasing numbers of factories. These factories lead to various kinds of pollution, including water pollution. India is an agrarian country, and water pollution also comes from pesticides used for agriculture. As we can observe, the increased population size is leading to increased pollution, which in turn is a more hostile environment for human beings.

 

Deforestation:

Forests are an important natural resource in India. They have moderate influence against floods and thus they protect the soil erosion. Forests also play an important role in enhancing the quality of the environment by influencing the ecological balance and life support system (checking soil erosion, maintaining soil fertility, conserving water, regulating water cycles and floods, balancing carbon dioxide and oxygen content in the atmosphere, etc. Continuing deforestation, therefore, has brought us face to face with a major ecological and socio-economic crisis.

Depletion of the ozone layer:

The ozone layer protects the Earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays. The effect of the CFCs has gradually ruined the Ozone layer. These CFCs were used as solvents, refrigerants, aerosol propellants, and blow foam plastics. For this reason, the use of CFCs in aerosols has been banned everywhere. Other chemicals, such as bromine halocarbons and nitrous oxides from fertilisers, may also attack the ozone layer. Nitrogen oxides and methane are compounds that adversely affect the stratosphere's ozone. The concentration of CFCs has increased as the human population has grown, and the thickness of the Ozone layer has decreased to the extent that a hole in the layer has been formed.

Extinction of species:

Today, human activities are causing a massive extinction of species, the full implications of which are barely understood. Approximately 8 billion people live in areas that conservationists consider the richest in non-human species and the most threatened by human activities. Modern agricultural practices strip the Earth of its thin layer of topsoil through water and wind erosion, destroying this precious micro-ecosystem that takes centuries to form and supports all life on land. Many species are of immense value to humans as sources of food, medicines, fuel and building materials.

Land/soil degradation:

The land serves as storage for water and nutrients for plants and other living microorganisms. The demand for food, energy and other human requirements depends upon preserving and improving land productivity. The loss of arable land has been caused by several factors, many of which are tied to human development. The primary causes are deforestation, overexploitation for fuelwood, overgrazing, agricultural activities and industrialisation.

Global warming and climate change:

Global climate change is identified as one of the greatest threats to the planet. Governments and scientists alike have agreed that the problem is real and serious. Climate scientists have a worldwide consensus that the global average temperature has risen. Climatic changes are irregular due to greenhouse gases. The thin skin of air that surrounds the planet is being affected by human activities as never before. Urban people are still being exposed to unaccepted levels of toxic pollutants. Further, forests are still being degraded by acid deposition generated by faraway industries, and greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere.

Urbanisation:

Rapid population growth has led to urbanisation, adversely affecting the environment. The cities' Natural resources are depleted quickly due to population pressure.

Moreover, the population needs proper sanitation facilities and pure drinking water. As a result, the health of the people is adversely affected. Urbanisation undoubtedly reduces pressure on the rural environment but brings environmental damage through industrial growth, emissions and waste.

Industrialisation:

Underdeveloped countries are following the policy of heavy industrialisation, which is causing environmental degradation. Establishing such industries as fertilisers, iron and steel, chemicals, and refineries has led to land, air and water pollution.