The population of the planet is still increasing, although the trend has slowed down compared to previous centuries. In many nations and regions where fertility changes quickly, demographic growth is a key factor in predicting future population increase. The future patterns in reproduction, death, and migration are unclear, however, there are also a number of additional factors that may have an impact on these trends, making future growth in population unpredictable. Nowadays, many policymakers, scientists, and organizations emphasize the detrimental effect of the growing human population on the environment, stressing the degradation of nature and its resources. As a result, with an increasing trend in the human population, there are negative impacts on the environment.
The growth of the human population has experienced various trends since human origin. According to genetic evidence, the global human population saw a significant decline to extremely low levels approximately 70,000 years ago (Bachi, 2017). After then, the demographic began to increase as a result of the growth of developed areas and agriculture. The population thereafter started to expand, surpassing 200 and 300 million by 1 AD, though there were regional demographic declines caused by starvation, warfare, and illness on a worldwide scale (Bachi, 2017). In 2000, there were almost 7.3 billion people inhabiting the planet, which was roughly eight times more than there had been 250 years before (Bachi, 2017). Thus, for almost a hundred thousand years, there has been an increasing trend in human population growth.
When it comes to the reasons for sustainable growth, human populations have frequently rebuilt their sustenance areas throughout the last few millennia, altering both how they collect food and the environments in which they reside. For instance, most human societies transitioned from hunting activities to engaging in various types of agriculture during the past 12,000 years (Wells and Stock, 2020). It is well known that the transition to agriculture had an influence on a number of areas of human physiology and demography, particularly overall mortality, population increase, adult body growth, and physical indicators of wellness (Phelan, 2021). Agriculture is producing more as new technologies progress, which is why mortality is declining and reproduction is rising (Wells and Stock, 2020). By increasing productivity, new technologies can contribute to population growth. In addition to this, technology advancements increase revenue on a worldwide scale.
Moreover, by highlighting the significance of medicine, healthcare services, and medical technology in enhancing population health, the human population was experiencing steady growth. As a result, with technological and medical breakthroughs, communities started to treat minor ailments, actively check for sickness, and spend a lot of money on the creation of new medical technology (Zheng and George, 2018). Major developments in the medical sector have occurred since the start of the 20th century, including breakthroughs in penicillin creation, immunology, and antibiotics (Zheng and George, 2018). Furthermore, there are other factors that influence human population growth, such as the cultural factor that implies family size (Bachi, 2017).
However, there are limits to growth, and a set population level that is congruent with the earth’s natural carrying capacity can be complex concepts to grasp. The environmental restrictions interact dynamically and often unpredictably with human behavior (Bacci, 2017, p.255). While the human population rose around 23%, and economic growth climbed 153% between 1993 and 2009, the general human footprint increased by merely 10% (Bacci, 2017, p.255). It can also be claimed that despite the fact that environmental repercussions may not precisely be mirroring countries’ rates of economic expansion, they are already alarmingly pervasive.
Due to the rapid growth of populations, resource scarcity can happen quickly, causing particular environmental issues like climate change, forest destruction, and declining species diversity. The pressures that this increase is placing on the ecosystem globally are endangering the continuation of sustained human life (Bachi, 2017). Climate change is one of the most significant environmental repercussions of global population growth (Bachi, 2017). Many experts worry that projected climate change will cause severe weather and rising sea levels. To accommodate the rising population, woodlands are being degraded at an alarming speed. The mineral wealth of the world is still being used by humans. The indiscriminate use of energy and fossil fuels depletes many non-renewable assets (Bachi, 2017). When developing plans for environmental restoration, the size of the human population must be taken into consideration since demography can evaluate the quantity of natural and agricultural resources and predict the necessary actions.
Therefore, there are adverse effects on the ecosystem due to a growing tendency in the human population. The human population began rising 70,000 years ago as a result of the expansion of developed areas and agriculture. Over the last few millennia, human societies have periodically rebuilt their feeding regions, changing both how they gather food and the settings in which they live. Humans were also able to simplify activities and regulate death rates as a result of technical and medical improvements. The fast population expansion, limited carrying capacity, and resource scarcity, on the other hand, can occur quickly, leading to specific environmental problems like climate change, forest degradation, and dwindling species variety. Therefore, the size of the human population must be taken into account while creating strategies for environmental restoration.
References
Bacci, M. L. (2017). A concise history of world population. John Wiley & Sons.
Phelan, J. (2021). What is life? A Guide to biology with physiology. W.W.H.Freeman Company.
Wells, J. C., & Stock, J. T. (2020). Life history transitions at the origins of agriculture: a model for understanding how niche construction impacts human growth, demography and health. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11, 1-29.
Zheng, H., & George, L. K. (2018). Does medical expansion improve population health?. Journal of health and social behavior, 59(1), 113-132.