It’s no secret that the planet faces serious environmental concerns from water and air pollution to deforestation. While the causes are complex, one significant contributor to the problem is population growth. Continue reading to learn major environmental problems caused by overpopulation.
As more people use more resources, the Earth's resources become more scarce. As humans deplete the Earth's resources to support growing populations, this causes deforestation as well as loss of biodiversity.
Increasing population growth results in higher greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from CO. To illustrate, twelvefold more CO2 was produced during the same period as fourfold population growth. Climate patterns change as greenhouse gases rise, eventually leading to climate change.
People living in developing countries are more likely to feel the effects of environmental problems, particularly if they live near coastal areas that have been directly affected by climate change and sea level rise. People most at risk may also have less access to clean water and more exposure to pollution. This may be due to decreased biodiversity.
While the interconnected problems of population growth and environmental issues seem overwhelming, it is important to remember that humans can make changes that positively impact the planet.
One good starting point is understanding and applying the concept of sustainability, which is the opposite of resource depletion. Sustainability describes a model of resource usage in which the current generation uses only the resources the Earth provides indefinitely (like solar or wind power instead of burning fossil fuels) to ensure that future generations inherit resources.
