Scientists have identified several points that will be fatal for humanity in the future. Among them, the problem of population growth on Earth has gained wide popularity. It is believed that the planet’s resources are not infinite: one day they will end and humanity will be doomed to extinction if there is nothing else suitable for life.
How did the planet’s population change in recent centuries?
Most of human history is not marked by a massive population explosion. Only during the XIX century, the birth rate began to gain momentum and, as a consequence, the growth of the Earth's population followed. And already in the 20th century, a real demographic rise took place, due to an increase in the quality of life in most civilized countries of the world.
There has been a sharp jump in the population of countries and the entire planet, associated with an increase in fertility rates and a decrease in mortality. Global growth continues to this day, and, according to scientists, it will continue for quite a long time by the standards of human life.
What is the number now
UN data show that the main population growth of the planet is in developing countries, and also reflect information on how many people live on planet Earth.
About 256 thousand people are born every day in the world, which is comparable in value to a small city in our country. It is this indicator that exacerbates the problem of an imminent shortage of goods, because the share of residents of rapidly developing countries in the total population of the planet is more than three quarters when spending the global amount of production in the amount of one third.
The gap between the necessary indicator for one soul and reality is growing every day. This state of affairs leads to an aggravation of various problems in the economy and ecology of different countries, and an increase in unemployment and crime.
Population density
This is another problem of humanity. If several thousand people live in some regions of the planet, then in especially large trade and industrial centers and some countries there can be up to several tens of millions at the same time. In this regard, in some territories, resources are not in demand, and in places of high concentration of people they are almost exhausted. Despite this, no large-scale program for the development and ennoblement of places not participating in production was carried out.
The lack of jobs and well-thought-out employment programs for those in need are already existing problems associated with an increase in the density of the Earth’s population in some regions. Unemployment, the lack of full-fledged medical services and education, a large competition for places with decent pay - all this is really happening right now. However, the population explosion continues. According to scientists, only 1.5 billion people can comfortably exist on the planet, which is already 3 times less than the existing amount.
However, food resources will not end from such overpopulation, they are enough to feed 15 billion people. But regional hunger exists and will exist for a long time, at least in Africa itself.
Why is this happening
The main reasons for the growth can be attributed to only one - a decrease in mortality. Indeed, in the Middle Ages, peasants also had 7-8 children, but there was no population explosion. With the development of medicine, the introduction of universal observance of hygienic and sanitary standards, mortality from diseases has decreased many times. The cultural development of most countries now does not allow children and adults to starve to death. Much has changed over the past 250 years. The introduction of free training and medical care has also done its job. The reasons for the growth of the Earth's population are due to many factors, the combination of which increased survival, but has not yet provided comfort to absolutely everyone.
Scientists Forecasts
Experts have revealed that growth will continue until about the middle of the 21st century, and only then there will be a decline, if not a sharp decline in the number of people. It is believed that the population will not cross the line of 13 billion. Moreover, such multiple excesses can lead to global environmental disasters, for example, large-scale epidemics or the war for resources. The forecast of changes in the population of the Earth shows that very soon by the standards of the planet the number of people will stabilize and will come to the optimum value.
Growth implications
Now consider what this situation may lead to. Among the negative consequences of the increase in the population of the Earth can be identified:
- Aggravation of environmental problems. Environmental pollution.
- Unemployment growth.
- Increased crime in some regions of the planet.
- The emergence of global economic problems.
- Lack of resources in some regions of the world and, as a result, exacerbation of regional hunger.
All these problems can and should be solved in order to avoid global overpopulation. Educational activities are already underway in areas that are far behind the global level of development, for example, in some African countries.
China has already introduced a tax on a second child and a quota on the number of meters occupied per person. Comprehensive measures are being taken, because no one wants to be on a dying planet with regularly occurring disasters. In order to avoid environmental disasters, processing plants are being built, new technologies for the recycling of garbage are being investigated.