Overpopulation - Research Paper Example

Over population reduces the ability of nature to feed its inhabitants because population expansion surpasses the capacity of land for food production; since more people require more food, water, housing, employment, education, medicine and even more fresh air (Zuckerman and David 82). Moreover, it propels people to unsustainable paths like quick extraction of resources from earth than they can maintain the existing supplies; thus, with this trend, people will deplete vegetation and affect species and animal societies in areas where these resources are mined; in addition, these exploitation is leading to lowering of the water table and the exhaustion of aquifers (Joseph).

Increase of world population increases the utilisation of fossil fuels which results in global warming which melts glaciers and icecaps resulting in widespread water scarcity all over the world; similarly, global warming leads to shortage of food; therefore, over population results in scarcity of two basic elements necessary for human existence. Global warming in equatorial regions intensifies drought conditions, which expand desert regions in North Africa, American southwest and Middle East regions.

The scorching effect has been felt in American Corn Belt and agricultural lands of Croatia, which forces agriculture to high latitudes thus decreasing yield in arid areas. Family planning has been a vital method of controlling global overpopulation since much has been achieved in the past decades. For example in Japan, the country managed to cut its birth rate by a quarter from 1951 to 1958; moreover, other countries like South Korea and Taiwan managed to lift themselves from poverty to first world standard following Japan’s example.

Population growth brings about unemployment, overcrowding and environmental degradation; thus, much can be gained through stable and sustainable population (Paul 6). In addition, world desertification affects almost three quarters of land in North America and Africa, the habitat of close to one billion people. However, the cause of desertification has been the pressure of human population leading to over-cultivation as well as over grazing of land; moreover, deforestation allows erosion of top soil.

Moreover, population pressure causes the emission of two giga-tons of carbon in a year to the atmosphere because of deforestation of rainforests. Countries that have rainforests have initiated a large-scale reforestation programs in order to reverse forest loss; however, the ultimate success of the efforts require significant change in demand for slow-growth forest products and the end of financial incentives that encourage large scale deforestation. Depleting aquifers created in ace age in order to meet the water needs can result in dangerous ground subsidence like the 50 cities in north China Plain that experience destruction of surface infrastructure due to subsidence of depleted underground aquifers.

Therefore, in order to alleviate water shortage, an individual can recycle waste water as well; desalination of sea water has been in use in Australia and Middle East, there is no doubt present-day lifestyles will change and not necessarily for the worse. For instance, food should be produces locally to decrease transport costs and diet will mostly be vegetarian since it takes about 2000 to 16000 litres of water to produce a