Sustainable Development with Regard to Population - Essay Example

A Research Essay on Sustainable Development with Regard to Population Name Institutional Affiliation Date So many theories have tried to explain the origin of the earth, and each theory has a different perspective of the earth`s existence and its inhabitants. Planet earth inhabits millions of organism that are of different types of species (Livi, 1992). The most important species in earth is the human being. Human beings are considered as the dominating species in the planet. The human population in the planet earth has resulted into a great debate both from governments, social organizations as well as private sectors. Different people and organizations hold differing opinions about the current state of the human population. Statistics reveals that, currently, the human population on planet earth is approximately seven billion. However, projections from research institutions reveal that, the human population is continually growing at an alarming rate. Several bodies have raised concerns about the need to control the population growth (Livi, 1992), and the current trends in population growth, sustainability in the near future will not be possible. Every human species requires basic need as well as secondary needs for their survival. Such need includes food, shelter and clothing. Currently, the land available and the food production in place do not meet the requirements of the population. Most of the land has majorly been used up by the ever increasing population for settlement purposes as well as laying of other economic structures that are not necessarily food producing. Reports from the statistics and research work show that the human population increase by an approximate of two people per second (Livi, 1992). This is an alarming rate that has sparked the attention of several bodies in the world. Scientist have questioned the possibility of the planet`s ability to accommodate all the human being given the alarming rate of population growth. The ability of every country to produce enough food to feed its population has been one major problem that most countries have tried to address. From the Attenborough (2002)`s video, How many people can live on earth, the struggle of every to sustain its citizen by production of sufficient food is diverse. Evidence has shown that, powerful countries with a large population to feed are currently making other alternative efforts of food production. Rich countries have been reported to buying resources like fertile land from other poor countries. Such deals would enable them to carry out food production is such fertile land and later ship the harvest back to their country. Evidence reveal that china have purchased more than a hundred million hectares of fertile land that is currently used for agricultural activities. Local media reports also reveal that, china are currently administering other such deals with some countries in Africa, Mexico and even Brazil (Livi, 1992). Other countries have also engaged themselves in such endeavors with a dire need to sustain their population. Saudi Arabians have been reported to owning large tracts of land in Sudan. The act of such rich countries purchasing land from the poor countries who cannot sustain their own population have been considered inappropriate. However, the need to sustain the population by such countries has pushed them to engage themselves into such business deals. Based on the video by Attenborough (2000), How many people can live on earth, it is evident that the earth`s population will soon exceed the earth capacity. Land used for carrying out agricultural activities will, therefore, be unavailable. This scenario means that, the world will be incapable of producing sufficient food to feed its population, and human survival will be rendered harder. Currently, several nations especially the poor countries like Central Africa have been said to be experiencing a food crisis (Livi, 1992). It is believed that, approximately one billion people of the world’s entire population have insufficient access to food. However, over ten million infants, especially under the age of 10 are reported to have died from malnutrition and other related diseases. The NobelPrize honoree 1970 Norman Borlaug will be remembered for his major contribution in agricultural systems through the invention of the green revolution. Through the revolution, Norman is said to have saved millions of people. He enhanced the development of a high yield and disease resistant species of crops. Furthermore, Norman Borlaug helped in carrying out agricultural extension services worldwide. He is said to have majorly educated Indian and Mexican farmers on how to achieve most from the modern farming methods. Through his methods, a lot of agricultural achievements have recorded. An astonishing increase in agricultural yield has been achieved and thus several countries will achieve food sustainability. Apart from food, water is also considered as a basic need for human being. Water has diverse use within the human population. Such needs range from dietary purposes such as drinking, to sanitary purposes such as washing and bathing as well as cooking the water resources are slowly diminishing as compared to the past. Currently, the existing water resources are not able to meet the current population needs. Water resources are facing a lot of challenges from both destructions of water catchment areas to pollution of the existing sources. Water pollution majorly result from human activities such as sewage contamination and other chemicals that apart from harming human beings, also depreciate the quality of the available water. Given the in appropriate handling of the water resources, the resource will soon be one very rare resource. Human kind invented the technique of harnessing power from water. Hydro- electric power is a major source of energy in most countries, and with the current state of water resources, hydro-electricity production will be considered as unviable. Oil is a natural resource that exist in some countries. Fyson (1998) notes that apart from agricultural production system, oil has also been used in production fertilizers that are one of the most important components of any agricultural food production sector. Middle East and Asian countries are popularly known to having large reservoirs of oil beneath their surface. Oil, therefore, has been used by human beings as a source of energy. Most of the fuels used in energy production are obtained through a process of an oil refinery. The main connection between oil and food production is the mechanization of farm machinery as well as the other agricultural production systems. Most food production industries require fuel for their operation, therefore, rendering fuel as a very important resource. One question that still battles the human kind is whether the earth will be able to accommodate all the species in the future. From Attenborough (2000)’s video, How many people can live on earth, he warns with the ever increasing population, the world would not be able to sustain all the population in it. Projects from the United Nations headquarters reveals that, in the next three years, the world’s population will be approximately ten billion. However, population growth has been attributed to so many factors. The level of education, cultural practices, as well as human lifestyles, have contributed a lot in the current trends in population. Several organization have come up to carry out a worldwide campaign to sensitive the humanity on the need to control the population growth. Most developing countries have little knowledge about birth control and family planning practices and therefore ends up having a large population that they cannot sustain. What is more, some other religious and socio-cultural organizations like some churches have vehemently opposed the campaign on birth control. Some have purported that such measures go against their religious beliefs. Despite the fact that humanity has always found a solution to almost all its challenges, the population is one challenge that the humanity has not yet fully addressed (Attenborough, 2000). The population growth has never been controlled effectively despite the several measures suggested by scholars and researchers. It is, therefore, valid to assume that humanity has little or no control over its reproductive behaviors. The solution to population growth, however, lies within the behavioral activities of human beings. Their decisions on a number off offspring’s to sire will determine the future of the population growth. It is clear that, human beings have to put place in place and work towards economic sustainability. Works Cited Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Attenborough, David. How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?England: BBC, 2000. Internet resource. Fyson, Nance L. World Population. New York: F. Watts, 1998. Print. Livi, Bacci M. A Concise History of World Population. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell, 1992. Print. Bottom of Form Read More