75,000 People Per Square Mile? These Are The Most Densely Populated Cities In The World. 2019. USA Today. Elzy Kolb.
The phenomenon of overpopulation has a tangible effect on regions, especially those that exhibit high population densities. It is stressed that large numbers of people and high density are not the same because even if a region appears to be overpopulated, it may not be. High population density refers to a scenario in which many people relate to a unit area of residential area: usually measured in the number of people per mile or kilometer. That said, the trend toward higher densities is clear: urbanization of the population is high and will reach 60% by 2030, according to the UN.
It seems natural that people want to move to big cities with more financial, career, and leisure opportunities. Thus, a hard stop to the urbanization phenomenon does not seem appropriate. Then it becomes relevant to expect regional authorities to have strategies to encourage life in small cities by developing them or reducing population growth in megacities.
Population Density Pushes The ‘Slow Life’. 2017. ASU News. Skip Derra.
As previously thought, overcrowding in cities is rigidly associated with categories of fast living, bustle, and chaos, in which people must be decision-makers, solve things quickly, and spend minimal time on unprofitable activities. However, as the article showed, this is not the case at all. The study showed that residents of large cities, experiencing the pressures of overcrowding, tend to lead a slower, more creative activity and plan more for the future. The reason for this phenomenon lies in evolutionary mechanisms: when a community closely surrounds an individual, he tends to improve himself qualitatively. This is why people in big cities traditionally marry and have children later but are more aware of planning for the future.
The study radically changes the established system of view and shows a side of urban life that has not been studied before. The idea of a quiet life fits perfectly with the agenda that urban dwellers tend to have fewer children than rural dwellers. In turn, in the long run, this can lead to the displacement of the local population by newcomers from small towns, which means that the cultural sovereignty of the region will be threatened.
Forget Overpopulation, Many Countries Are Running Out Of Young People. Now What? 2021. CNET. Brian Cooley.
The population problem is not necessarily strongly linked to overpopulation but can also manifest itself through a demographic shift. One of the most dangerous threats of such a shift is the decline in young people, which is already visible in some countries: China, Hungary, Sweden, and Japan. The decline in fertility has an effect not only on the decline of a country’s human capital but also on the effectiveness of benefits programs for the elderly, whose pensions are formed from the taxes of young citizens. A multiplicity of reasons determines this demographic shift, among which is the belief that the price of having a child is too complicated and expensive.
The decline of the young population does not seem at first glance to be a serious threat since the individual encounters a considerable number of them every day. Nevertheless, the problem has a cumulative effect, which means a gradual, non-intensive shift in the demographic balance. A country that has lost its younger generation will not be able to maintain its effectiveness and security on the world stage, which will lead to a reduction in sovereignty.
We Have 12 Years To Limit Climate Change Catastrophe, Warns UN. 2018. The Guardian. Jonathan Watts.
Rapid climate change is already happening, and the IPCC estimates that humanity has only 12 years to reduce this rate before irreversible natural cataclysms occur. Average temperature dynamics measure climate change; the current agenda shows that the modern world is 1 degree warmer than it was centuries ago, and the gap continues to grow. When the 2-degree mark is crossed, serious problems must occur: glaciers disappear, the Arctic collapses, and the population shrinks substantially. Particular problems will be relevant to the oceans, which are already feeling shoreline shifts, acidification, and a decline in fish diversity.
Humanity, individually and collectively, must consider how serious the consequences of a further rise in average annual temperatures will be. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tornadoes, and fires, which already seem to be an annual agenda, will continue to increase in the face of climate change. Consequently, to prevent such a scenario, every individual must use resources responsibly and have an ecological mindset.
Hotter Here, Wetter There: How And Why Climate Change Will Remake Our World. 2021. The Times of Israel. Sue Surkes.
Climate change must be viewed in terms of natural cycles that occur periodically. However, the intensification of human economic activity visibly catalyzes the disruption of the climate balance, increasing the rate of climate change. Human economic activity has many deleterious effects on the environment, including the intensification of carbon dioxide emissions and the drainage of wetlands. At the same time, the accumulation of harmful gases in the atmosphere increases, and thus the threat to nature increases. Many of the policy programs, even those that have been supportive, show the undesirable results of climate change containment policies.
Climate change has multiple manifestations, and discussions should pay particular attention to relevant causal linkages. Humans continue to cause enormous damage to nature because they are unaware of the specific actions that can be beneficial. Moreover, the lack of fundamental strategies on the part of the government also makes climate change intangible, and unimportant.
Summer Of Disaster: Extreme Weather Wreaks Havoc Worldwide As Climate Change Bears Down. 2021. Los Angeles Times. David Pierson.
Extreme weather events, including recent massive floods worldwide, hurricanes, and wildfires, are a natural manifestation of rapid climate change. Such cataclysms destroy municipalities and property and take lives. The article particularly emphasizes that such prospects were predicted a decade ago when the world began to talk seriously about the problems of climate science: however, the predictions made were even faster than anticipated. Consequently, it is vital for humanity to pay attention to the climate crisis now and initiate protective programs that will keep the pace of change in check.
This is yet another example of how human activity due to increased economic depletion of natural resources ultimately leads to problems of global geographic importance. The academic community can continue to forecast and develop programs, but the situation will not change until real action is taken. Given the current agenda, it can be already expected radical natural cataclysms to become even more destructive in the coming decades.
Scientists From IITM Pune Develop New Model To Tackle Air Pollution Menace In Delhi-NCR. 2021. TWC. Ians.
In large cities, the problem of pollution is particularly acute, and therefore it is appropriate for local scientific communities to develop and implement practices to manage these pollutants. In Delhi, an advanced benchmarking system was undertaken that measured the contribution of all sorts of pollution sources — garbage incineration, road dust, transport sector — depending on the observation region. The data collected are of fundamental importance to the authorities because it is still somewhat unclear which of the categories has a more significant impact on the area’s pollution. The relevance of this development is also confirmed by the described trend of an increasing number of days per year with critically low air quality.
The social relevance shows that humanity continues to attempt to combat geographic crises, including the problem of air pollution in large cities. In addition, a strategy of close interaction between the scientific community and the authorities to improve proactive programs is also noticeable. It is expected that in the future — within a decade — this will qualitatively improve the agenda of the regions and make the lives of people there better.
See How Wildfire Smoke Spread Across America. 2021. The New York Times. Nadja Popovich and Josh Katz.
Canada and the Western United States have been experiencing serious wildfires for the past week, affecting the health of populations and the environment as a whole. The wildfires, caused by rising temperatures due to climate change, produce vast amounts of PM2.5 emissions, which migrate. For example, critical levels of fine particulate air pollution have been measured in New York City and Toronto, negatively affecting the quality of life of local communities. Moreover, prolonged wildfires due to thick smoke can form their weather microclimates, causing thunderstorms and hurricanes.
There is no doubt, on the scale of a massive wildfire, an individual can hardly take action to contain it, so communities always rely on federal civil safety agencies. However, the individual must exercise social responsibility by preventing primary outbreaks. This must be accomplished both by supporting measures to contain the rate of climate change and by caring for nature.
Circular Cities: The Rotterdam Strategy. 2021. GreenBiz. Antonella Ilaria Totaro.
The trend toward increased urbanization has many adverse effects, but of particular note is the relatively new concept of sustainable cities, which seek to manage overpopulation. Sustainable cities are characterized by environmental responsibility, a reduction in the number of resources used, and a switch to alternative energy sources that do not have such detrimental effects on nature. The Dutch authorities, supporting the 11th UN Sustainable Development Goal, have created a unique program to increase sustainability by 2030. The paper includes a number of to be achieved within ten years: reorienting jobs, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and sorting waste.
In this scenario, the responsibility of the authorities to manage geographical crises is visible, which allows the Dutch government to be seen as caring about the environmental well-being of the population. The example of the Netherlands may be proof that in the near future, most developed countries will recognize the practical value of geographic security and will begin to take concrete steps to manage it.
More People Must Oppose The US’ Bid To Trigger A New Cold War. 2021. China Daily. Chen Weihua.
Geographic security issues also include geopolitical relations between states, the crisis of which could cause new wars. Thus, China and the U.S. were strategic partners under President Obama, but when Biden took office, he launched a non-obvious policy toward the Asian country. The president is provoking the Chinese people to unleash a new Cold War. This is a severe challenge to the geopolitical agenda, which is why more than 40 human rights activists have written an open letter to the president calling for a change in the vector of relations with China. Neither the U.S., China, nor the rest of the world is really interested in a new war, and so policy must be rethought.
The aggravation of relations between countries shows that the bond of great nations will always be dynamic. Each of the governments seeks to extend its influence, and conflicts occur when they clash with rivals. Moreover, this scenario shows the vulnerability of international agreements — for instance, the Paris Agreement — since, due to worsening relations, such Acts can be dissolved.
Exaggerating Challenge From China Threatens U.S. Security. 2021. Forbes. William Hartung.
Under the Biden presidency, the U.S. is experiencing a strong emphasis on China as the country’s officially recognized competitor in all spheres. Such U.S. scrutiny raises the possibility of a war between the two nuclear powers, the consequences of which would be devastating. It is stressed that the United States has a comparable military advantage, overtaking China both in the quality and quantity of military equipment and the number of nuclear warheads. However, it is essential to take into account the political and economic motives that guide the countries’ foreign policies. Therefore, a demonstrable military buildup proves blind because it does not lead to a real solution to the crisis. Instead, states should improve diplomatic relations and resolve conflicts through negotiation.
In conflicts between great powers, one always thinks of a potential nuclear war, the consequences of which would destroy the planet. Two sides struggle at once at this moment: on the one hand, governments are restrained and intelligent enough not to start wars, while on the other, escalating conflicts can be extreme. It is noteworthy that the people of other countries, who have no interest in politics, are rendered inactive in such a case since, in fact, the people have no power to control the country’s nuclear policy.
Brief: Food Security And COVID-19. 2021. ReliefWeb. World Bank.
One severe manifestation of geographic threats is food insecurity, especially under COVID-19. The article reveals that even before the pandemic, natural disasters, socio-economic crises, and logistical problems — for example, the stagnation of the Suez Canal — have left the availability of quality food vulnerable. When supply chains were disrupted, this issue became particularly relevant. The effects of food shortages are expected to continue until 2022, which means that the number of hungry people will continue to grow. The population will be forced to reduce the amount of food they eat or save on the quality of the food they buy.
The social significance of this article is determined by the socio-economic gaps that exist in communities. The less developed a country is, the more likely it is that food security will be more severely threatened. On the other hand, such a trend opens up horizons for investing in food substitution technologies in the event of such crises, for example, with the help of GMOs.
Saudi Oil Minister Highlights Need To Extend Opec+ Deal. 2021. Argus. Samira Kawar.
When the coronavirus pandemic gradually ceases to be the main threat to the whole world, there is a return to previous orders. Thus, the OPEC+ members have once again started talking about extending the agreements of oil production. There is a discussion of the incipient conflict between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which finds contradictions in the OPEC+ policy. Thus, the UAE insists on revising the current baseline oil production rate because it is unfair, while Saudi Arabia urges OPEC+ to extend the current agreement for the next month. Ultimately, it is possible to say that the countries have agreed to raise production levels from August but extend the current agreement until 2022.
This news shows several significant trends at once. On the one hand, oil industry issues are once again gaining importance in the geopolitical context. On the other hand, conflicts may arise between the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Finally, since both countries are progressively advanced, conflicts will not be solved in a military scenario, so it should not be worried about a possible war for resources.
The Shifting Geography of the South Caucasus. 2021. CEIP. Paul Stronski.
The Russian Federation has always pursued a policy of encroaching on neighboring countries to suppress sovereignty while covering it with humanitarian aid and crisis assistance. This report postulates that the situation in the South Caucasus — Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia — is beginning to change as the phenomenon of the Russian pull wears off. American interference in the situation is also weakening as the U.S. begins to pursue a more robust domestic policy and engagement with China. As a result, it is shown that the South Caucasus is gaining more independence and is beginning to diversify its economic policies to pursue independent activities. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are experiencing a political rebirth and are rediscovering themselves geographically after the framework of influence of the dissolved USSR slowly disappeared.
The report shows that the major powers’ influence on neighboring regions cannot last forever, as the natural need for cultural and political sovereignty leads to conflicts. Such reflections should be extrapolated for all systems of sub-lateral relations, and hence it is appropriate to assume a general trend toward a change in the world’s geopolitical structure. Big countries begin to conduct active domestic politics, and small states have the freedom of political decisions.
Teachers Want To Encourage Children To Take A Public Stand Against Climate Change. 2021. University of Bristol. N/A.
Any socially responsible individual with a civic attitude can contribute to the climate change fight. Thus, the article describes the tendency to actively educate students to fight climate change through the transformation of pedagogical practices. Any initiative decisions from students are encouraged, up to and including cases of civil disobedience, as the source points out. In addition, statistics have been cited that show the greater awareness and determination of British teachers compared to their U.S. counterparts. What is required is to expand the scope of preschool geography instruction so that students have a better understanding not only of the causal mechanisms of climate change but also of the recommendations for that.
This article has been helpful in gaining insights into perceptions of climate change at the collective level, not just among government agencies. It shows that rank-and-file teachers are deeply interested in an urgent and severe expansion of geography scope. This seems like an excellent strategy to make climate change more manageable in the long run: when children grow up.