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A Brief on Overpopulation – Why it Matters and What You Can Do About It

Erin Brown | April 4, 2023 | Leave a Comment

Photo by Candace McDaniel on StockSnap

As humanity has surpassed the 8 billion people milestone, it is more important now than ever to talk about population. What will we do if we continue to grow at exponential rates? What are ethical, viable strategies to decrease population?

“First off, let me get this straight, discussing addressing overpopulation does not mean discussing killing people. The goal is actually to prevent it.” – Dr. Jane O’Sullivan

Current world population in January 2023: 8 billion

The current rate of population growth is around 80 million people per year. There are over 8 billion people on the planet, the last billion added in less than the last 12 years.

The Earth’s first billion people milestone took from the beginning of human history until the 1800s to be achieved. Then, due to the industrial revolution, humanity reached the second billion mark by 1930 (taking only 130 years), reached the third billion in 1960 (only took 30 years), then reached the fourth billion by 1974 (only took 14 years), and the fifth billion by 1987 (only took 13 years). We hit 6 billion in 1999 (which took 12 years) and hit 7 billion in 2011 (which took about 12 years). At the current growth rate, the world population will reach 9 billion by 2037 and 10 billion by 2057.

The growth rate is declining, but not at a fast enough rate to combat the exponential compound growth. The growth rate was 2% in the 1970s. Now it is 1.05%. Any growth rate above 1% means we are still adding more people to the planet every year.

What is overpopulation?

Overpopulation is a human population in numbers high enough to cause environmental deterioration, impaired quality of life, or population crash.

Why is overpopulation an issue?

Overrun natural resources can only lead to death by starvation, conflict, and disease, and the only viable alternative is voluntary restraint on human births.

What is carrying capacity?

Carrying capacity is defined as the maximum population of a species that an area will support without undergoing deterioration.

Paul R. Ehrlich and other scientists estimate the world’s optimum population for carrying capacity (at a comfortable standard of living – editor’s note) to be less than two billion people – 6 billion fewer than on the planet today. “But the longer humanity pursues business as usual, the smaller the sustainable society is likely to prove to be. We’re continuously harvesting the low-hanging fruit, for example by driving fisheries stocks to extinction” – Paul Ehrlich says.

How do we revert population overshoot to a sustainable population level?

Geologist Art Berman explains population overshoot this way: “Overshoot means that humans are using natural resources and polluting at rates beyond the planet’s capacity to recover. The main cause of overshoot is the extraordinary growth of the human population made possible by fossil energy. Concerns about overshoot and population raised more than 40 years ago were dismissed. Climate change has captured public awareness more recently although many doubt that it is an emergency. Overshoot is more difficult to dispute; it destroys rainforests, leads to the extinction of other species, the pollution of land, rivers, and seas, the acidification of the oceans, and the loss of fisheries and coral reefs. People understandably want to know the solutions. Overshoot is the problem we must address. Any plan that includes continued growth is doomed to fail.”

What can we do? Jane O’Sullivan outlines the two options for addressing population overshoot – i ncrease the Earth’s carrying capacity or decrease population.

Increasing Earth’s carrying capacity

We are already doing this by (a) using fewer natural resources per person, or (b) increasing productivity by finding more ways to use resources. This only defers the problem and creates collateral damage.

Decreasing population numbers

If we talk about this now, the hope is to increase our options for solutions. One of the biggest challenges to facing overpopulation head-on and discussing a decreasing population are the stigmas and myths associated with reducing human population numbers. An elaborate set of myths has emerged in opposition to reducing population levels. These myths may prevent even environmentalists from viewing overpopulation as an issue. Jane O’Sullivan elucidates on the following six myths that make inaction a virtue.

Myth 1 – The human population is stabilizing, and birth rates are decreasing

Truth – Birth rates started declining in the 1970s-90s due to family planning, but not low enough. The number of mothers is still increasing faster than family planning is decreasing the birth rate . We are still having more births per year than ever before. The total fertility rate has decreased, but as fertility decline has slowed to a trickle, the number of total births has continued to increase.

Myth 2 – China is the only one with the problem and they used cruel methods (one-child policy)

Truth – Family planning programs have helped many countries successfully reduce births through voluntary means, including China, before the one-child policy.

Myth 3 – Poverty causes population growth, therefore development is the best contraceptive

I.e., family planning is unnecessary and inefficient as long as there is development.

Truth – If this was true, we would see the population decline as development increases. However, it is the decrease in fertility rates that drove economic development, not the other way around. This myth is therefore “correlation implying causation” in the wrong direction. The poorest countries could lower their population by family planning just as quickly as rich countries if they choose to prioritize it.

Countries of families with four or more children, on average, have the lowest level of development; in families with 3 children or fewer the level goes up by some degree, and with two or fewer children development soars. The current focus should be on expanding provisions for teachers, doctors, equality, etc. instead of just giving people what they need.

Myth 4 – Educating girls is the key to ending population growth

Truth – Another indirect approach that excludes a discussion on the benefit of small families and ending population growth. Educating girls helps but not much unless it is also flanked by family planning efforts. Family planning has a stronger effect on women regulating their fertility, decreasing the fertility gap between the educated and uneducated, and with family planning, girls are more likely to stay in school.

Myth 5 – Population growth is good for the economy

Truth – This makes people poorer as shown under Myth #3.

Myth 6 – Population growth in poor nations does not matter because of their “tiny carbon footprint”

Truth – Population growth is a greater threat than climate change. The best way for anyone to decrease their carbon footprint is to have one less kid.

Therefore, family planning is the most economical way to a sustainable future.

What action can each of us take?

1. Discuss smaller family sizes with your partner, family, and friends – how do we aim for birth rates lower than two children per couple?

2. Share information about the environmental impacts of population growth with friends and family. Advocate for action to reduce and reverse population growth.

3. Reassess concerns about aging – how can we shift away from worshipping eternal youth, to accepting and valuing the entire life cycle?

4. Celebrate population decline – what are possible depopulation dividends?

5. Support organizations and efforts that support family planning and women’s education.

Damien Carrington, an environmental editor at The Guardian, interviewed Prof. Paul Ehrlich about the solutions:

“The solutions are tough,” Ehrlich says. “To start, make modern contraception and backup abortion available to all and give women full equal rights, pay, and opportunities with men. Focus on overconsumption and equity issues. Specifically women’s rights and the explicit countering of racism.”

Ehrlich also says that an unprecedented redistribution of wealth is needed to end the over-consumption of resources, but “the rich who now run the global system – that hold the annual ‘world destroyer’ meetings in Davos – are unlikely to let it happen…Too many rich people in the world is a major threat to the human future, and cultural and genetic diversity are great human resources… It is a near certainty in the next few decades, and the risk is increasing continually as long as the perpetual growth of the human enterprise remains the goal of economic and political systems. As I’ve said many times, ‘perpetual growth is the creed of the cancer cell’.”

If cultural and genetic diversity are great human resources, how can the rich and the poor come together across the world to solve this issue?

Anne and Paul Ehrlich expand on their “vision for a cure” :

“Rich white people love to hold meetings to discuss the ‘population problem’ which always ends up focusing on the very real demographic difficulties of those with darker skin tones, especially people who live in Africa and Latin America. But isn’t it really time for the poor people of the world, especially those not in need of tanning beds, to extend a helping hand to the major villains of the destruction of humanity’s life-support systems? Could they not hold an educational conference in Washington, D.C. to explain why civilization is going down the drain, to the per-capita most environmentally destructive giant nation on the planet? Leaders from the “South” could both organize the event and supply experts to educate the wealthy and middle class on their ethical responsibilities and ways to meet them. We envision learning sessions on topics such as:

Avoiding the second child.
The population problem beyond numbers: inequality and waste of talent.
Are borders ethical?
Population shrinkage for politicians.
GDP shrinkage for economists.
Do Trump and his colleagues prove that the lighter your skin, the lighter your brain?
Citizens United: It’s time for euthanasia for corporations.
Redistribution and survival.
Disbanding “Murder Incorporated”: gun manufacturers and big pharma.
How to end plastic production.
The historical contributions of the global South to the food enjoyed by the North.
How biodiversity loss is accompanied by the loss of human cultural diversity.
We know our populations are growing too fast; how to help us help ourselves?
Why anti-abortion laws kill poor women.

You can doubtless think of others. The possibilities are endless”.

References:

Berman, Art. The Climate-Change Trip to Abilene. July 13, 2022. https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/the-climate-change-trip-to-abilene/

Carrington, Damien. Interview with Paul Ehrlich: Collapse of civilization is a near certainty within decades. July 9, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/mar/22/collapse-civilisation-near-certain-decades-population-bomb-paul-ehrlich

Ehrlich, Anne H.; Ehrlich, Paul R. Overpopulation In America -And Its Cures. November 14, 2019. https://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/overpopulation-america-cures/

O’Sullivan, Jane. The tenth presentation at the Delivering the Human Future Conference. Titled: The Future of the Human Population. March 21, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shUNJPLpXpQ

Population Statistics. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/

The MAHB Blog is a venture of the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere. Questions should be directed to [email protected]

Population Explosion Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay population explosion essay.

Population explosion refers to the number of people that live in an area. It is a major issue for developing countries. Also, the government is not taking proper measures to control this problem. Besides, it generates many issues in the country that cause many problems for people.

Meaning of Population Explosion

It refers to the rapid increase in the population of an area among human beings. Furthermore, it is a situation where the economy is not capable of coping with the increasing demand of its population.

Causes of Population Explosion

The cause of the population explosion includes many factors and reasons. These includes:

Increase in the birth rate- Due to lack of control on delivery and unawareness of people the birth rate is increasing rapidly. In addition, the gap between death and birth has gone way wider than what we can think of. Furthermore, the birth rate has increased many folds in comparison to the death rate.

A decrease in infant mortality rate- Mortality rate refers to the number of death of infants below the age of 6 months. Due to science and technology , we are able to minimize this rate and now only a few cases of death are known per thousand death.

The life expectancy growth- Earlier the life expectancy of people was around 55-60 years. But due to better and improved medical facilities, we are now able to increase the life expectancy of people. Now the average age of a person increased to 70-75 years.

Besides, these better living conditions, good quality food, better nutrition , and better sanitation facilities also helped in increasing life expectancy.

High level of illiteracy- The literacy level of women is one of the biggest problems of family planning. In India, people pay very little importance to women’s education and marry them at an early age. That’s why they do not have knowledge about birth control methods and the use of contraceptives.

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Effects of Population Explosion

The population explosion affects natural resources and many sectors of the economy in many ways:

Unemployment- Due to the increase in the population the demand for jobs and employment also increases. But, due to a lack of resources and employment opportunities , there are millions of jobless people in India.

In addition, the condition of unemployment is growing day by day. To face this problem most the people are either migrating to other countries for better job opportunities.

Poverty- Due to the large population there a large number of people who belong to below the poverty line and they do not have adequate knowledge of the overpopulation of the country. Also, they are the major contributor to a high birth rate.

Prevention of population explosion

There are various methods by which we can prevent a population explosion. The government can take measures to aware of the population about the various methods that can help in controlling the population. Also, it should implement some strong campaign for family planning and birth control.

To sum it up, the population explosion has caused huge pressure on the surface of the earth. Also, we can control many issues of the earth by controlling population growth. Besides, many problems like food insecurity, illiteracy, poverty, and unemployment can be minimized by controlling the population.

FAQs about Population Explosion Essay

Q.1 What are the major reason for the population explosion? A.1 The major factors that are responsible for population explosion are illiteracy, reduced mortality, increased birth rate, and an increase in life expectancy.

Q.2 What are the major reason for the population explosion in India? A.2 The major reason for the population explosion in India are unemployment, large population, poverty and illiteracy, small health condition and several other problems.

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Overpopulation as a Challenge to Management’s Ethos Expository Essay

Introduction, understanding overpopulation, company culture and the isolation of corporations from society, corporations, overpopulation and the environment.

The Myth of Business Ethics at the Present

The Necessity of Implementing Standards in Corporate Ethics

Reference list.

The inherent problem with the concept of overpopulation is the fact that the finite resources available on Earth cannot hope to support the potentially infinite expansion of humanity.

The Earth itself is a closed off ecosystem with no resources entering into it, as such its surface can only support a certain population of species, both human and animal alike, before the ecosystem inevitably collapses in on itself as a result of a severe strain on the planet’s natural and ecological resources.

It is based on this that when it comes to the threat of overpopulation as a challenge to management’s ethos of mass-production and mass-consumption, the problem lies in the fact that the ethos of companies at the present promote the overconsumption of resources instead of advocating for resource conservation and population controls.

In her article explaining the repercussions of overpopulation Kuo (2012) explains that in 1965 the global population stood at a mere 3.3 billion people who collectively taxed the Earth’s resources to only 70 percent of its bio-capacity.

This means that only 7/10 of the land, water, and air the planet could regenerate or repair yearly to produce various life sustaining products was consumed as well as its ability to absorb greenhouse gas emissions (Kuo 2012, p. 23-32).

Unfortunately the rapid expansion of the global population following the period of the 1960s resulted in humanity consuming more resources than the planet could replenish resulting in the present day conditions wherein 6.8 billion people are consuming the equivalent of 1.4 Earth’s (Kuo 2012, p. 23-32).

One of the most interesting concepts that I have learned from the course so far is that of the GooglePlex which can be roughly described as a self-contained environment that acts as both a work place as well as an environment that helps to develop and foster creative ideas and concepts.

Examples of this can be seen in the “campus style” complexes that Apple Inc. and AOL (America Online) have built for their employees within Silicon Valley which act as isolated environments from the outside world with their own restaurants, meeting areas, sports facilities etc.

This trend in which an office spaces facilitate creativity and the development of new concepts can similarly be seen in the offices of Disney Pixar, Adidas (Shanghai) and Kellogg’s (Madrid) wherein they have large open spaces, comfortable offices and meeting areas, beautifully manufactured lawns and landscapes, aesthetically pleasing furniture as well as have a general feel of modernity, comfort and most important of all “space”.

As explained by Willets (2011), the current trend in office development for several of today’s Fortune 500 companies is to make the environment less like an office meant purely for work.

Instead, psychological concepts related to relaxing and pleasing colors, openness, and comfort are applied so as to create a specific type of mindset among employees in which they feel more open towards communication and collaboration with each other which theoretically would result in development of new ideas and concepts that they can apply in their work (Willets 2011, p. 6).

The effectiveness of this particular approach is described in the Fuyuno (2003) study which compared the work environment of call centers with that of several startup companies within Silicon Valley such as the Facebook “campus”.

It was noted that the use of artwork, aesthetically pleasing furniture and other types of visual, auditory and physical stimuli actually resulted in a greater predilection towards creativity and lessened the likelihood of employee burnout.

However, it was explained by Thrift that space can produce identity effects resulting in the internal culture of a company often being dictated by the space by which it surrounds itself. In the case of Pixar, Kellogg’s and Adidas, the space that is present within their individual layouts can be thought of as far removed from the realities of what exists outside of the office.

As seen in the case of the GooglePlex and its various iterations, there is a “divide” so to speak that occurs as a direct result of the space that is created in order to encourage particular thought processes among a company’s employees.

In the case of threat of overpopulation as a challenge to management’s ethos of mass-production and mass-consumption, employee space actually creates a certain level of “disconnection” between those inside and what occurs at the world at large.

The open environments, the artworks, and the pleasing aesthetics all work together to influence the internal corporate mindset in such a way that they do not regard such problems as being the direct responsibility of the company.

As explained by the article Inside the Googleplex (2007), a company’s ethos is developed as a direct result of the people that work in it, however, if the mindset of such individuals is product and results oriented instead of focusing more on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) it is likely that a company’s operations will promote rather discourage overpopulation and overconsumption.

The issue when it comes to over population and management ethos is that it requires companies to think ethically in that they should orient corporate practices towards more sustainable methods of operations which would help to convince the general population to follow as well.

Unfortunately, this is not occurring, (Kristensen & Eskildsen (2012) explains that consumer sentiment involving companies at the present is resulting an ever deepening chasm wherein the general public believes that major corporations simply do not care either about the public or the environment.

Such a perception does have a considerable degree of validity given the explanation given earlier regarding current office spaces and how they disconnect the current corporate mindset from implementing proper methods of CSR (Kristensen & Eskildsen 2012, p. 47-61).

As Jessica (2012) states “technology intensive enterprises are constantly pushed towards performance initiatives that place an emphasis on doing things faster, better and with fewer resources”. In fact this push towards better competitive performance through effective and more efficient resource utilization and allocation is one of the current driving forces of many high-tech organizations.

It must be noted though that the production processes of certain forms of technological output (i.e. consumer electronics, computer components etc.) do have an impact on the local environment which should be taken into consideration by an organization that utilizes corporate social responsibility as one of the foundations of their managerial practices.

What must be understood is that the drive for faster, better and less resource intensive production processes that are currently being pushed by various companies actually results in many of them choosing to utilize method of production that have an adverse impact on the local environment. This is all a result of the ever increasing population within general markets which companies are attempting to better encompass.

Evidence of this can be seen in studies such as Prechel & Zheng (2012) state that have examined the water quality in several of China’s industrial zones such as in Tianjin show an almost toxic level consistency of water run offs spilling into nearby bodies of water from several of these industrial zones.

Furthermore the air quality in such areas has also been shown to consist of a variety of carbon and chemical based particulates that are the primary causes for the growing cases of lung disease and cancer within several of China’s expanding industrial cities.

It is mentioned by Prechel & Zheng (2012) that proper environmental management practices should be implemented by technology oriented enterprises due to the need to comply with ethical and moral standards of operation and the fact that an organization that engages in questionable environmental practices usually develops a negative public image.

While there are certain challenges to this approach such as an increase in the cost of operations, lower production capacity, and the need to implement more stringent methods in the company’s operational procedure the fact remains that compliance to these ethical standards results in a better corporate image which resounds better with consumer groups especially when taking into consideration the growing focus on environmentally sustainable practices of industrial production.

The “Myth” of Business Ethics at the Present

Based on the information that has been presented so far, it is the assumption of the researcher that the cause of the lack of concern of corporations regarding overpopulation is the continued belief that the people that run companies will continue to utilize ethical methods of conduct despite the pressure to perform that is placed on them by Wall Street and investors.

The first myth is the assumption of companies that they select and train ethical employees who will always do the right thing. A survey conducted by various prosecuted individuals serving time for white collar related crime all reveal that the source of unethical behavior is not whether a person is ethical or not in comparison to other employees but rather if the opportunity is there and there are no apparent means of control.

The fact of the matter is so long as the opportunity is present; it is likely that a company may implementing unethical practices in order to keep up with investor expectations on company performance.

The environments seen in the case of Kellogg’s, Adidas and Pixar show a current trend in the development of isolated “spaces” for employees which Nelson et al. (2012) explains creates a mindset which fails to take into consideration the possible ramifications of unethical actions to the general public given the lack of a connection between the employee and consumers.

In such cases where there is no opportunity and stringent means of control exist even apparently unethical employees have no choice but to conform to an ethical method of doing business. For example, an ethical employee is told to find a method of keeping costs down in order to help the company survive the recession, the employee helps the company lower costs by outsourcing the means of production to China.

Everything seems to follow an apparently ethical guideline however a closer examination of the situation reveals that the labor used in the outsourced factory complex is tasked to produce items 18 hours a day, under harsh conditions and minimum safety standards in order to cut down on the cost of production.

From an ethical viewpoint such a situation seems horrid yet it is a part of nearly everyday business operations for various retailers. Such a method of operation actually describes what is currently being done in Adidas wherein a large percentage of its manufacturing operations has been outsourced to Third World countries due to cheaper labor costs.

Unfortunately, as seen in the case example shown, this practice is often rife with clearly unethical actions yet is allowed to continue in the name of profit. This is evidence of the level of disconnection brought about by present day office environments.

While companies may train employees to do the right thing the fact remains that the company itself is still a business. When told to minimize costs in favor of survival one of the first principles to take a hit is the concept of ethicality wherein low cost production comes at the cost of an abused labor force.

The fact is proper business ethics is more of a framework that a person attempts to abide by rather than a belief in one’s own ability to stick to ethical practices. If one believes that they are following proper business ethics under the belief that they will do no wrong without the need for a proper ethical framework then it is very likely that such individuals will commit unethical practices in the near future.

Thus, despite the current problems involving overpopulation and how the present day operational framework of companies encourages mass production and mass consumption, it is still unlikely that true change in the name of saving the planet will be implemented.

There is an old saying that states that “the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing”, in the case of corporations this takes on a more significant meaning due to the proliferation of various departments, operational sites and standards of doing business in particular areas.

Feehan & Becker (2011) explains that the different “spaces” created across corporations, as seen in the case of Adidas, Kellogg’s and Pixar, also manifests itself into different ethical environments. Not all departments actually know what other departments are doing and, as such, this leaves a great deal of ambiguity as to what sort of ethical practices particular departments are or are not engaging in.

As such, this presents the necessity of establishing a standard set of ethical practices and procedures across all departments due to the need to ensure that when represented by a particular department in a certain business venture their ethical practices don’t reflect badly on the rest of the company.

What must be understood is that when a particular operation, department or employee engages in a distinctly unethical practice this makes consumers think of the company as a whole as being unethical despite the action being isolated to that particular instance.

It is based on this particular example that there needs to be a certain code of ethics in order to ensure a generalized form of ethical accountability across all departments in order to create a system that helps to encourage better resource utilization and the discouragement of excessive consumption practices.

Feehan, D, & Becker, C 2011, ‘Pedestrian streets, public spaces, and Business Improvement Districts’, Journal Of Town & City Management , vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 280-286

Fuyuno, I 2003, ‘Creative Environments’, Far Eastern Economic Review , vol. 166, no. 34, p. 70

‘Inside the Googleplex’ 2007, Economist , vol. 384, no. 8544, p. 56

Jessica, R 2012, ‘The Googleplex is Swarming With Zombified Honeybees’, New York Observer , 21 August, Regional Business News, EBSCO host .

Kristensen, K, & Eskildsen, J 2012, ‘The Relationship Between SERVQUAL, National Customer Satisfaction Indices, and Consumer Sentiment’, Quality Management Journal , vol.19, no. 2, pp. 47-61

Kuo, G 2012, ‘MegaCrisis? Overpopulation Is the Problem’, World Future Review (World Future Society) , vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 23-32

Nelson, J, Poms, L, & Wolf, P 2012, ‘Developing Efficacy Beliefs for Ethics and Diversity Management’, Academy Of Management Learning & Education , vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 49-68,

Prechel, H, & Zheng, L 2012, ‘Corporate Characteristics, Political Embeddedness and Environmental Pollution by Large U.S. Corporations’, Social Forces , vol. 90, no. 3, pp. 947-970

Willets, A 2011, ‘Office space: Returning to corporate culture’, Public Relations Tactics , vol. 18, no. 3, p. 6

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IvyPanda. (2019, July 4). Overpopulation as a Challenge to Management’s Ethos. https://ivypanda.com/essays/overpopulation-as-a-challenge-to-managements-ethos/

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IvyPanda . 2019. "Overpopulation as a Challenge to Management’s Ethos." July 4, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/overpopulation-as-a-challenge-to-managements-ethos/.

1. IvyPanda . "Overpopulation as a Challenge to Management’s Ethos." July 4, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/overpopulation-as-a-challenge-to-managements-ethos/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Overpopulation as a Challenge to Management’s Ethos." July 4, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/overpopulation-as-a-challenge-to-managements-ethos/.

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Population Growth Essay

Essay on Population Growth

One of the major problems the world is facing is the problem of the exponential growth of the population. This problem is the greatest one. Most countries in the world are showing a steep rise in population figures. The world’s resources are limited and so they cannot support a population beyond a certain limit. There has been news about the scarcity of food grains and the paucity of jobs mounting across the world. The number of human beings is multiplying at a steady rate. The world population has already crossed the six billion mark and it is expected to double in the next three or four decades.

If the population continues to grow at this rate then the economy of the overpopulated countries will be unable to cope up with the growth of the population. Every attempt to bring peace, comfort and welfare to everybody’s door will be thwarted and misery will become prominent if the population is not kept within proper limits. Except for a few countries, all countries are facing a population boom. Currently, the largest populated country in the world is China and India is the second-largest populated country. India represents 17% of the world’s population. Other countries like Bangladesh, Japan, Indonesia and some countries of Europe are threatened to be burst into the seams by population explosion.

Causes of Population Growth

The major cause of population growth is the decrease in death rate and rise in the life span of the average individual. Earlier, there was a balance between the birth and death rate due to limited medical facilities, people dying in wars, and other calamities. The rapid spread of education has made people health conscious. People have become aware of the basic causes of diseases and simple remedies for them.

Illiteracy is another cause of an increase in population. Low literacy rate leads to traditional, superstitious, and ignorant people. Educated people are well aware of birth control methods.

Family planning, welfare programs, and policies have not fetched the desired result. The increase in population is putting tremendous pressure on the limited infrastructure and negating the progress of any country.

The superstitious people mainly from rural places think that having a male child would give them prosperity and so there is considerable pressure on the parents to produce children till a male child is born. This leads to population growth in underdeveloped countries like India, Bangladesh.

Poverty is another main reason for this. Poor people believe that the more people in the family, the more will be the number of persons to earn bread. Hence it contributes to the increase in population.

Continuous illegal migration of people from neighbouring countries leads to a rise in the population density in the countries.

Religion sentiment is another cause of the population explosion. Some orthodox communities believe that any mandate or statutory method of prohibition is sacrilegious.

Impact Due to Population

The growth of the population has a major impact on the living standards of people. Overpopulation across the world may create more demand for freshwater supply and this has become a major issue because Earth has only 3% of freshwater.

The natural resources of Earth are getting depleted because of the exponential growth of the population. These resources cannot be replenished so easily. If there is no check on the growth of population then there will be a day in the next few years when these natural resources will run out completely.

There is a huge impact on the climatic conditions because of the growth of the population. Human activities are responsible for changing global temperature.

Impact of Overpopulation on Earth’s Environment

The Earth's current population is almost 7.6 billion people, and it is expanding. It is expected to surpass 8 billion people by 2025, 9 billion by 2040, and 11 billion by 2100. The population is quickly increasing, far surpassing our planet's ability to maintain it, given existing habits.

Overpopulation is mostly due to trends that began with a rise in birth rates in the mid-twentieth century. Migration can also result in overcrowding in certain areas. Surprisingly, an area's overcrowding may arise without a net increase in population. It can happen when a population with an export-oriented economy outgrows its carrying capacity and migratory patterns remain stable. "Demographic entrapment" has been coined to describe this situation.

Some Major Effects of the High Population are as Follows

The rapid growth of the population has caused major effects on our planet.

The rapidly growing population in the world has led to the problem of food scarcity and heavy pressure on land resources.

Generating employment opportunities in vastly populated countries is very difficult.

The development of infrastructural facilities is not able to cope up with the pace of a growing population. So facilities like transportation, communication, housing, education, and healthcare are becoming inadequate to provide provision to the people.

The increasing population leads to unequal distribution of income and inequalities among the people widened.

There will be a large proportion of unproductive consumers due to overpopulation.

Economic development is bound to be slower in developing countries in which the population is growing at a very fast rate. This also leads to low capital formation. Overpopulation makes it difficult to implement policies.

When there is rapid growth in a country then the government of that country is required to provide the minimum facilities for the people for their comfortable living. Hence, it has to increase housing, education, public health, communication and other facilities that will increase the cost of the social overheads.

Rapid population growth is also an indication of the wastage of natural resources.

Preventive Measures

To tackle this problem, the government of developing countries needs to take corrective measures. The entire development of the country depends on how effectively the population explosion is stemmed.

The government and various NGOs should raise awareness about family planning and welfare. Awareness about the use of contraceptive pills and family planning methods should be generated.

The health care centres in developing and under-developed countries should help the poor people with the free distribution of contraceptives and encourage the control of the number of children.

The governments of developing countries should come forward to empower women and improve the status of women and girls. People in rural places should be educated and modern amenities should be provided for recreation.

Education plays a major role in controlling the population. People from developing countries should be educated so that they understand the implications of overpopulation.

Short Summarised Points On Population Growth

Based on the number of deaths and births, population growth might be positive or negative.

If a country's birth rate outnumbers its death rate, the population grows, whereas more ends result in a drop.

There are 7.7 billion people on the earth, and India, with 1.3 billion people, is the second-most populous country after China.

Mumbai, the Bollywood capital, is India's most populous city, with a population of 12 billion people. Delhi, India's most populous city, comes in second with 11 billion inhabitants.

The advancement of knowledge in science, medicine, and technology has resulted in lower mortality and higher fertility, resulting in population rise.

Factors contributing to India's population expansion, such as mortality and fertility rates, child marriage, a lack of family planning, polygamy marriage, and so on, have wreaked havoc on the ecosystem.

Industrialization, deforestation, urbanisation, and unemployment have all been exacerbated by population expansion. These causes degrade our environment and contribute to societal health issues.

Pollution, global warming, climate change, natural catastrophes, and, most importantly, unemployment are all caused by the population.

To keep population increase under control, individuals must have access to education and be aware of the dangers of overpopulation.

The government must raise public awareness about illiteracy and educate individuals about the need for birth control and family planning.

Overpopulation may lead to many issues like depletion of natural resources, environmental pollution and degradation and loss of surroundings. All countries must take immediate steps to control and manage human population growth.

FAQs on Population Growth Essay

1. What Do You Mean By Population Growth and How is it a Threat to the World?

Population growth refers to the rapid increase in the number of people in an area. It is a threat to the world because the world’s resources are limited and it cannot support a population beyond a certain limit.

2. What are the factors of Population Exponential Growth?

The factors for the exponential growth of the population are illegal migration from other countries, illiteracy, lack of awareness of contraceptive methods, poverty, lack of basic amenities, religious sentiments and superstitions.

3. What steps should India take to reign in population growth?

Family planning and welfare must be made more widely known by the Indian government. Women and girls should be given more power. Free contraceptives should be distributed and people should be educated at health care centres. In schools and colleges, sex education should be required. Some more points to ponder are given below:

1. Social Actions

The minimum age for marriage is 18 years old.

Increasing women's status

Adoption of Social Security and the Spread of Education

2. Economic Interventions

Increased job opportunities

Providing financial incentives

3. Additional Measures

Medical Services

Legislative Initiatives

Recreational Resources

Increasing public awareness

4. What Impact Does Overpopulation Have on Our Planet?

Overpopulation is linked to a variety of detrimental environmental and economic consequences, including over-farming, deforestation, and water pollution, as well as eutrophication and global warming. Although many incredible things are being done to increase human sustainability on our planet, the problem of too many people has made long-term solutions more difficult to come across. Because of the exponential rise of the human population, the Earth's natural resources are depleting. Overpopulation has a significant impact on climatic conditions. The fluctuating global temperature is due to human activity.

5. What are the impacts on the population?

The influence of population expansion on people's living conditions is significant. Overpopulation around the world may increase demand for freshwater, which has become a big issue given that the Earth only possesses 3% freshwater. Because of the exponential rise of the human population, the Earth's natural resources are depleting. These materials are not easily replenished. If population growth is not slowed, these natural resources will run out altogether in the next several years. The population explosion has had a significant impact on climatic conditions. The fluctuating global temperature is due to global warming and needs to be regulated immediately as glaciers have already started melting and global temperature is rising at an alarming rate.

Overpopulation in Pakistan: Causes, Impacts, and Ways Forwards

Shabnam Usman
December 15, 2023
CSS Essays , CSS Solved Essays

Shabnam Usman, a Sir Syed Kazim Ali student, has attempted the CSS essay “ Overpopulation in Pakistan: Causes, Impacts, and Ways Forwards ” on the given pattern, which Sir Syed Kazim Ali teaches his students. Sir Syed Kazim Ali has been Pakistan’s top English writing and CSS, PMS essay and precis coach with the highest success rate of his students. The essay is uploaded to help other competitive aspirants learn and practice essay writing techniques and patterns to qualify for the essay paper.

1- Introduction

2- Overview of the Current Statistics of Population in Pakistan

3- Causes Responsible for Population Expansion in Pakistan

✓Low literacy rate in the community
Evidence: The World Bank Report 2019 indicates that corresponding to literacy rates, “Pakistan has scored 7th out of eight South Asian countries; conversely, the country has the highest population growth rate in the region.”
Evidence: The so-called religious scholars propagate ‘quantity’ as a matrix of growth for the Muslim Ummah
✓ Culture of early marriages and polygamy
Evidence: According to the United Nations Report on Child Marriages, 2020, “Pakistan has ranked sixth in the girls’ highest number of girls who were married before the age of 18.”
Evidence: According to the Gender Development Index 2021-2022 (the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), “Pakistan has showcased a ‘low human development’ ratio.”
Evidence: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Report, 2022 finds that the world’s regions – Africa and South Asia – having low per capita income share the characteristics of large population and high population growth rate
Evidence: According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Report, 2023, “Pakistan has hosted 2.1 million refugees.”

4- Impacts of Ruthless Population Growth in Pakistan

✓ Increased food insecurity and stressed resources
Evidence: The government had to import wheat worth $ 2 billion in 2022.
Evidence: “Pakistan has been spotted at 176 on the Environmental Performance Index, 2022,” a joint report produced by Yale University and Colombia University
Evidence: The Human Development Index, 2022, has placed Pakistan in the 161 position
Evidence: “In Pakistan, city authorities still need to achieve a consistent, integrated, and harmonious urban built form despite spending billions on public infrastructure, thus leaving the cityscape muddled.” (Pakistan Institute of Economic Development (PIDE)
Evidence: “The current gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate remained 0.29% for the fiscal year 2022-23,” as per the statistics of the Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2023
Evidence: According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Report, 2020, “The number of all reported crimes has increased from 0.64 million in 2010 to 0.87 million in 2020; likewise, its population figures were 194.5 million in 2010 and 227.2 in 2020.”

5- Solutions to Manage the Overpopulation Disaster in Pakistan

✓To increase the literacy rate
Case in Point: The European Union
Case in Point: The Malthusian Theory
Case in Point: China
Case in Point: Bangladesh
Case in Point: Singapore
Case in Point: Germany

6- Critical analysis

7- Conclusion

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Overpopulation is one of the most catastrophic factors threatening sustainable development. It is a severe concern for both developed and developing countries; however, the uneven distribution of the world population has made overpopulation a real threat for developing nations like Pakistan, owing to their weak economic infrastructure. According to the World Bank Report, 2022, the population growth rate of Pakistan is 1.9%; contrarily, the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate has remained 0.29% for the fiscal year 2022-23 as per the statistics of the Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2023. The mismatch ratio of population and economic growth is getting worse daily. Such an alarming situation is the outcome of many overlapping factors, like misinterpretations of Islamic teachings, early marriages, and gender discrimination. Consequently, the impacts have become disastrous over time. The ballooning population has stressed Pakistan’s natural resources and food production means. Furthermore, it is making sustainable development a far-off dream to achieve. Municipality management issues and increasing crime rates are additional concerns related to overpopulation in Pakistan. Considering it is high time Pakistan’s government seriously thought of population expansion through multiple measures. Promoting education, appropriate religious enlightenment, women empowerment, stimulating the working mechanism of social welfare departments, and several family planning incentives can be introduced to reduce the current growth rate of the population. This essay discusses some crucial causes and impacts of overpopulation in Pakistan and numerous pragmatic measures to facilitate the crisis.

Reviewing the current population in Pakistan, the growth statistics are alarming. According to the World Bank Report, 2019, the country has the highest growth rate in South Asia; since the first post-independence census held in 1951, Pakistan’s population has increased by six times. The situation exists because the country’s contraceptive prevalence is the lowest in the region. Adding fuel to the fire, Pakistan has a large cohort of the adolescent population going into active, productive age. Therefore, it has been anticipated that in 2047, the figures will double, making Pakistan one of the most significant contributors to the world population.

While counting multiple factors stimulating overcrowding in Pakistan, it is apparent that having large families is the choice of the majority. Undoubtedly, ignorance of the community – academically and religiously – has played a significant role in making such a choice. Therefore, the World Bank Report 2019 indicates that, corresponding to literacy rates, Pakistan has scored 7th out of eight South Asian countries; conversely, the country has the highest population growth rate in the region. Consequently, illiterate people are incapable of reasoning. They are unaware of their parental and civic responsibilities. Therefore, they prefer quantity over quality when talking about a family. Concluding, ignorance is one of the major culprits responsible for the population explosion in Pakistan.

Exploring further, religious conservatism in Pakistan is always advocating population growth. A plethora of misconceptions fed by ill-informed religious preachers have never let Pakistanis think anything else but remain motivated to have a large family ; such propaganda includes enlarging the Muslim Ummah as mandatory, contraceptives are sinful Western practices, etc. Many so-called Islamic scholars do so to increase the number of their followers. Therefore, they do not want their supporters to become enlightened; they discourage science studies, women’s empowerment, and state-of-the-art technology. Consequently, such deceptive preachers craft a false picture of Islam and invite people to darkness. Hence, narrow-minded religious dogmas are contributing to the ignorance of people and, ultimately, to overpopulation in the country.

Another evil supporter of population growth in Pakistan is the culture of early marriages and polygamy. According to the United Nations Report on Child Marriages, 2020, Pakistan has ranked sixth in the girls’ highest number of girls who were married before the age of 18. Accordingly, about 19 million girls got married in the early years of their adolescence. The alarming figures are associated with health and nutrition issues, high child mortality, low women’s literacy rate, and, above all, population expansion. Likewise, the tradition of polygamy – particularly in tribal areas of Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – adds insult to injury. Conclusively, early marriages and polygamy are fueling population growth in the country.

Among many negative characteristics, gender discrimination is the most apparent feature of the Pakistani community. According to the Gender Development Index 2021-2022 (the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)), Pakistan has showcased a ‘low human development’ ratio. Thus, the patriarchal patterns of the society deprive women of their basic rights. They can neither decide about reproductive matters nor avail themselves of any opportunity to develop. Consequently, women have become passive entities in Pakistani culture, possessing no other trait but reproduction. Making the situation even worse, the desire to have more “male” children makes it mandatory for a couple to expand their family. Summing up, the deep-rooted patriarchal mindset in Pakistani society is exceedingly liable to increase in population.

Furthermore, it has been considered that population growth is responsible for poverty; however, recent studies prove that they complement each other. In a 2022 report on poverty, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) found that the world’s regions – Africa and South Asia – having low per capita income share the characteristics of a large population and high population growth rate. Likewise, in Pakistan, poverty has disturbed development divisions and stressed natural resources by accelerating population growth. Accordingly, people want large families to have more earning hands and to ensure old age economic security. Besides, high child mortality is modelling a culture favoring large family sizes. Concluding, poverty in Pakistan is a potent element leading to a ballooning population.

Discussing further, besides the domestic catalysts of population expansion, the high refugee influx in Pakistan – since the Soviet Union’s (USSR) invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the US attacks on Kabul in 2001 – has dramatically disturbed its population statistics. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Report, 2023, Pakistan has hosted 2.1 million refugees. This fact makes it the fifth-largest country to host such many immigrants. Many such migrants have registered with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), but most still lack legal citizenship. Consequently, such a significant number of refugees in Pakistan are making the population an exponentially growing entity.

Next, the most prominent impact of overpopulation in Pakistan is increasing food insecurity because of stressed natural resources. The government had to import wheat worth $ 2 billion in 2022; likewise, the World Bank has declared the country as a state facing an acute water crisis . Anovulation has disturbed the state’s demand-supply mechanism. Therefore, Pakistan is facing intense food shortage and water scarcity because of overconsumption of supplies. In addition, the energy vows, over-exploitation of agricultural lands, and an overburdened and stagnant economy are other implications of overpopulation in Pakistan.

Moreover, the population explosion in Pakistan limits its geographical capacity to accommodate people, which is a real threat to the country’s ecosystem. In 2022, Pakistan was spotted at 176 in the Environmental Performance Index in a joint report produced by Yale University and Colombia University. The problems prevail because overcrowding in Pakistan rapidly consumes natural supplies, accelerating deforestation and overburdening land resources for overproduction. Besides, excessive pollution and ruthless water wastage fuel the fire. Such issues are significant obstacles hindering Pakistan’s way of achieving sustainable development goals.

Other than the environment, low living standards are the most prominent feature of densely populated areas. The fact that is yielding joint human development. Accordingly, the Human Development Index for 2022 has placed Pakistan in 161 . The statistics indicate that overcrowding in Pakistan has compelled people to compromise basic living facilities. Clean water, standard health and education provisions, reasonable shelter, healthy surroundings, and sanitation facilities have become rare commodities in big cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Thus, it is miserable that Pakistan is forgoing human development because of its oversized population.

In addition, a large population contributes to the poor living status of people but also makes it difficult for the government to handle overpopulated municipalities. A study by the Pakistan Institute of Economic Development (PIDE) depicts that city authorities still need to achieve a consistent, integrated, harmonious urban form in Pakistan. Hence, such mismanagement can easily be observed in large metropolitan areas in Pakistan. It is very challenging for the government to establish public institutes and deploy a workforce in proportion to the ever-growing population in such cities. Consequently, many people are deprived of basic public service facilities. All citizen service set-ups are persistently overloaded because of the enormous disproportion between the population and available service centres.

Like others, the mounting population fosters many economic problems for the state and the people. The population growth rate remained at 1.9%, whereas the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate remained at 0.29% during the fiscal year 2022-23, according to the Economic Survey of Pakistan, 2023. The mismatch ratio is because the industry, technology and service centres are not working up to their total capacity, thus a declining economy leading to low per capita income and poverty. Furthermore, the poor economic status of people forces the national exchequer to invest more in social welfare projects like public health cards and the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP). Subsequently, population expansion is extending the economic crisis in the state.

Altogether, overpopulation-related issues like poor living standards, municipality management issues, and insufficient economic means are nurturing law and order crises in Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Report, 2020, the number of all reported crimes has increased from 0.64 million in 2010 to 0.87 million in 2020 ; the statistics are aligned with the population figures, which were 194.5 million in 2010 and 227.2 in 2020. The mushrooming population is breeding crimes in the state, such as rape, child abuse, theft, domestic violence, etc. In conclusion, overpopulation in Pakistan is the main culprit behind the poor law and order situation in the state.

Nevertheless, despite the formidable figures for population growth in Pakistan, there exist multiple solutions that aid in controlling the current rate of expansion. First, the government needs to focus on human development measures. Among such measures, education is the most important one, as the high literacy rates of Europe are shrinking its fertility rate, according to the United Nations Report on Population Growth, 2023. Education enables people to reason and take the command of their life into their own hands. Thus, by promoting education in Pakistan, people will begin to think about ‘quality’ rather than ‘quantity’. Furthermore, a particular concentration on girls’ education can introduce multiple social reforms that will shortly reduce the population growth rate.

Second, besides school education, madrassah education needs intense reforms to control population growth in Pakistan. For instance, Thomas Malthas, despite being a religious scholar, preached population control theory; the modified form of the theory can still be applied to control early marriages, polygamy, and adopting contraceptives. Therefore, in Pakistan, religious teachings should be carried out from a broader and enlightened perspective to address contemporary issues like population expansion. Thus, able scholars should revise the contents of Shariah teachings by reviving the culture of “ijtihad” and should review the explanation of the Quranic text and Ahadith (sayings of the Holy Prophet PBUH). In addition, to control ruthless population growth in Pakistan, false propaganda in the name of Islam should be handled with iron hands.

Third, appropriate government policies can curb the fertility rate in Pakistan. Accordingly, the country can follow in China’s footsteps to deal with the overpopulation dilemma. The government should announce incentives for family planning; likewise, people having large families should be penalized. Such measures can curb the population growth ratio in Pakistan. Furthermore, the government should initiate an organized institutional mechanism for old age support to suppress the need for having large families as financial insurance for parents in the end stages of their lives.

Fourth, like education, women’s empowerment is the panacea for multiple problems in Pakistani society, population growth in particular. For example, the government of Bangladesh focused on women’s empowerment to reduce the population growth rate, and it had successfully achieved the target in a few decades. Following the same pattern, the Pakistani government should invest significant public revenue in women’s development projects to limit its mushrooming population. Such initiative will also aid the government in bridging the graving gender gap in the state, which not only brings socio-economic reforms but also contributes to lessening the fertility ratio in Pakistan.

Fifth, the government should stimulate the functioning mechanism of the social welfare department. Singapore is a glaring example in this regard . Furthermore, Pakistan has experienced the positive outcomes of such a strategy; in the 1990s, the country reduced fertility rates by recruiting trained Lady Health Workers (LHW). The mechanism increased the contraceptive prevalence rates by three times, but the initiative faded in 2000. However, such population control policies can be revived to attain instant results. It is an effective short-term planning that can complement long-term social development by stimulating low fertility.

Finally, Pakistan should manage refugee inflow on thoughtful grounds to control ruthless population expansion. For this purpose, Pakistan can look towards the effective strategies introduced by the German government to handle its refugee crisis . However many efforts were made by Pakistan to resolve the issue, but the problem still needs to be solved. Currently, Pakistan should involve international and regional organizations like the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) alongside the active engagement of the international community like the US, UK, and Canada to expedite the smooth process of Afghan refugees’ resettlement from Pakistan.

Critically analyzing the existing scenario, it can be assumed that the alarming rise in population is a daunting challenge for the government of Pakistan, but the crisis is tame-able. The government realized the severity of the issue in the early 90s and overcame it but could not sustain the progress. However, the situation is echoing again in government initiatives; devising and implementing various pragmatic measures by the management can gradually lessen the circumstances. Furthermore, the Pakistani community must support the government to overcome the crisis. Besides, the government should intensely focus on human development matrices to transform the existing significant human capital into an asset that can pave Pakistan’s way for progress and prosperity.

Summing up, the mushrooming population of Pakistan is an outcome of multiple intricately interlinked elements. The issue has been fueled over decades and has become a culture; however, the global wave of awareness over alarming population growth has compelled the Pakistani government to consider the problem seriously. Likewise, the dismal plight of multiple socio-economic dimensions owning to overpopulation has induced the people of Pakistan to adopt family planning approaches. The process is long, but the goals are achievable. The government has a central role to play by devising practicable policies and providing conducive circumstances for people to incline themselves towards successful population control policies. Such integrated approaches, in turn, lead the nation to sustainable economic growth, stability, and development.

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Overpopulation — Cultural Perspectives on Overpopulation Challenges

Cultural Perspectives on Overpopulation Challenges

Categories: Overpopulation

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Words: 660 |

Published: Mar 25, 2024

Words: 660 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Introduction, understanding overpopulation, western cultural response, eastern cultural response, indigenous cultural response.

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Essay on “Population explosion in Pakistan” for CSS, PMS, and All Judiciary Examinations

November 21, 2021
Essay for CSS PMS and Judiciary Exam

This is an essay on “Population explosion in Pakistan” for CSS, PMS, and All Judiciary examinations. Increasing Population is a serious issue in today’s modern world. It can result from an increase in births, a decline in the mortality rate, an increase in immigration, or a depletion of resources. So here is a complete essay on the topic of “population explosion in Pakistan” for CSS, PMS, and All Judiciary Examinations.

In this essay, you will learn about the causes of the Population explosion in Pakistan, the effects of population, and various measures to stop population.

Essay on “Population Explosion in Pakistan”

Population in the world.

Conditions in Pakistan

Population table

Better medical facility

Lack of education, lack of planning of the government as per the resources, the desire for a male child, early marriages, abundant food resources, effect on economic growth.

Problems in urban cities like Karachi

Effect on agriculture

Urbanization, social evils, role of media, role of a religious scholar, education for all, resources as well as population.

Chinese model

Essay on “Population explosion in Pakistan” for CSS, PMS, and All Judiciary Examinations

Conditions in pakistan and population table.

At the time of partition, the area, which today comprises Pakistan, had a population of 33 million. The following table shows the population of Pakistan at different times since its inception.

According to experts, under the same growth rate, the population of Pakistan would be greater than that of China by the year 2035.

Even after sixty-four years of its independence, Pakistan is still struggling to find a respectable place in the comity of nations. All the efforts made in the past seem to have gone in vain. Every sector of life today tells a sorry tale. The problem that could be blamed for all this sorry mess is overpopulation in the country. Overpopulation emerges as the main villain in Pakistan for a number of reasons. Every other problem mentioned earlier seems to have grown from the. demon of this overpopulation.

Literally speaking, overpopulation arises when the resources in a country fall short of meeting the needs of its people. A number of factors could lead to the emergence of overpopulation. Birth rate 1s the most common indicator that the countries today use to keep a check on population. Pakistan today suffers from a high birth rate in the country. But the birth rate was high even in the past and still, overpopulation was nowhere to be seen. What factors today have translated the high birth rate into overpopulation? The advancements in the medical field have led to a sharp decline in the death rate.

The life expectancy has increased due to the use of imported health technologies. So, a decline in the death rate has in other words led to the problem of overpopulation. Pakistan is a developing country and like many others like it is trying hard to survive in the capitalist world. A huge population of around eighteen crores, that could have been an asset to the country is today a huge liability. Fast increasing population is thus a source of constant danger for Pakistan .

Following is a brief discussion of some of the causes of overpopulation in our country:

Warm climate (puberty attained by females at an early age)
Joint family systems
Lack of recreational facilities
The belief that God is ‘Raziq’ (the belief that every child brings its food with him/her)
Love for male issues (couple going for more babies)
Illiteracy, people think that more children mean more working hands

There are three main causes of overpopulation. The first and second are linked to the advancement of medicine and public health, while the third is related to food distribution. Even though these are the main causes today, more causes can come about in the future.

First is the understanding of diseases and the use of medicine. Before the realization of the germ theory, many individuals did not know that diseases were spread through germs such as bacteria and viruses. With the adoption of these practices, humans were able to understand that germs caused these diseases and could be countered through practices such as medicine and vaccinations. With this new knowledge, death rates plummeted and new health practices relating to child birth helped improve birth rates.

Illiteracy is another important cause of overpopulation. That lacking education fails to understand the need to prevent excessive growth of population. They are unable to understand the harmful effects that overpopulation has. They are unaware of the ways to control the population. Lack of family planning is commonly seen in the illiterate lot of the world. This is one of the major factors leading to overpopulation. Due to ignorance, they do not take to family planning measures, thus contributing to a rise in population.

In Pakistan rural areas there is a trend of a large number of families and due to lack of awareness and proper knowledge people go on producing more and more children. So this trend could be changed if education will be provided to all members of society.

We think that we are progressing and adopting new values and trends but this is really not true and this is a fact that parents prefer boys over girls and consider their son as their future asserts. Who can support them later in life? So the desire for a male child is also the main reason for population growth in a society like Pakistan. So if we want to control the rising population so we should consider boys and girls like the same and value them. If this thing will be included in our thinking that girls also support their parents so this will discourage the practice of producing more and more children just for the desire of the male child.

Early marriage is also the main reason for the increase in population growth. As soon the girl grows parents start thinking about their marriages and when they find the reasonable proposal for them so they are in a hurry that they should get married and leave their education. Early marriages really contribute to rising in population growth and if we want to control it then early marriages should be avoided and education can help in delaying the age of marriage of the girls.

Next is the vast improvement of public health. Public health refers to the acquisition of three basic needs humans need: food, shelter, and water. For example, since the creation of plumbing, individuals have had the opportunity of accessing water. Another is the improvement of shelters which also allow humans to survive for longer periods.

Another is the improvement of food distribution. It is amazing to think that food can be transported all over the world and combined with preservation services, such as canned food, certain food can last forever. The improvement of food distribution bad ended the worries of starvation in many regions of the world; however, certain regions (such as parts of Africa) still exhibit famines from the lack of food.

Now let’s talk about some severe effects of population:

Overpopulation has badly hampered the economic growth in the country. The high population is responsible for a decline in per capita income. This leads to a decline in the 9urchasing power of the people. As the demand for goods decreases then “Demand & Supply” lack the investment in the country will also suffer. Such a stagnant economy will lead to the closing of factories and businesses and in return add to joblessness and poverty.

Even if the country somehow is successful in attracting foreign investment, still overpopulation will not allow these investments to have a positive effect on the country’s economy. A greater population means more hungry souls to feed. With the number of productive earning members in a family small compared to unproductive members, there is felt a drag on the limited income of poor families. This is the problem of the “Dependency ratio” which is acutely felt in poor countries.

For years, social services in the country have suffered even after sincere efforts by successive governments. The fact remains that more schools, hospitals, and parks are of little comfort if the the population keeps on increasing at an alarming rate.

Agriculture is another sector, which has been adversely affected by the rapid increase in population. About 70% of Pakistan’s population is employed in the agricultural sector. Overpopulation is even having an adverse effect on agricultural outcomes. More population means smaller farms, and that leads to a decline in productivity. Availability of cultivable land in 1990 was 0.17 hector per person and the estimated availability of cultivable land by the year 2025 will be 0.07 hector per person. The same would happen with the forests and also with the availability of freshwater.

People having smaller farms have no other choice but to migrate in the hope of a better life . This leads to urbanization, which itself is a major social problem .

Overpopulation has contributed to an increase in the number of social evils. Lawlessness, crime, and corruption are all the result of the population explosion. The fight over resources has divided the society into two groups i.e. those who have all and are not willing to share it and the second group that is fighting for its mere survival. This fight between haves and have-nots has the inherent seeds of conflict in it, which if erupted could imperil the peace and order in the society.

Overpopulation in cities has also contributed to toxic pollution. A greater number of vehicles on the roads mean the availability of large quantities of poisonous gas for people to inhale. Sewage problems and lack of clean drinking water can also be attributed to the population problem.

The world has touched the seven billion mark in population. After years of industrialization and technological advances, the world still suffers in providing basic necessities to the masses. Apart from a few exceptions in Europe having a negative birth rate, overpopulation is a common problem of many nations around the world.

Many of the countries have tried hard and to some extent, they have been successful. China, around three decades ago, was facing shortages in food but today it is the largest growing economy in the world. The “One Child Policy” has done wonders for this new economic power. China has also proved the fact that through proper planning a huge population could be transformed into an economic asset.

Solution for Population Explosion in Pakistan

Now the question arises of how we can tackle this problem. So for this here are some of the solutions.

It is the right time that we nip the evil in the bud with proper planning. Education is the key to success against the menace of overpopulation. It will not only generate awareness against the hazards of overpopulation among the masses but will also create a healthy environment for birth control methods to flourish. The poor literacy rate in Pakistan is certainly adding to the difficulties, already being faced by the health workers in their fight against the problem.

The role of media is also an important factor. With most of the population, illiterate electronic media could prove to be a huge success in getting the message across. Print media too needs to emphasize the problems of overpopulation on a more regular basis. Availability of birth control. methods in the remote areas of the country should be ensured. The role of lady health workers should be expanded and the good office of every union council should make their supervision compulsory.

“Devolution Plan” was devised to make the participation of people at the grassroots level. Now it is time we solved the problem of overpopulation with greater participation and support from these local councils. But this task will be not as easy to accomplish, as it may appear to be.

According to a report by Population Action International Washington, a great reason for the population increase in Pakistan is that the Government has made a very insignificant investment in the social sector owing to religious problems and secondly women having no say and freedom. A conservative society like ours is certainly not ripe to carry out a war against overpopulation. Therefore, the role of religious leaders emerges as an important aspect if we are to succeed against this menace. Big landowners,s in rural areas too can influence the masses. It is high time they joined in against the fight for a better future.

Once these two classes are on the side of the government, there is no way that the government will not be able to solve the problem. Another factor that has for long proven to be a hurdle in solving the population problems is the poor state of our womenfolk in society. The rights of women must be restored and the discrimination against them must be stopped. In this context, Anti-Women Practices Bill was recently passed on Nov 16, 2011.

Many women in the country are aware of the problems generated by having large families but they.have little say in deciding about the strength of the family. ln a male-dominated society like ours women often falls victim to the blind wishes of their male partners. Women often die in labor and owing to the lack of gaps between successive births. Their health also deteriorates to an alarming stage.

Following recommendations can be implemented in order to control the population:

Family planning facilities be made a part of health facilities,
There should be a greater role for local and provincial governments
Role of NGOs and doctors in the disbursement of Aid received for family panning
Males should be urged to cooperate more
Status of women to be raised in society as done by the present government by giving more seats in assemblies
Better health and educational facilities for women
The issue to be taken as a national crisis
Role of media to be encouraged especially in rural areas
Government programs should involve Ulemas and NGOs
Greater participation of landlords

The problem of overpopulation is very serious because it leads to frustration, which means chaos. Chaos means anarchy and anarchy endangers the state.

Pakistan is today standing at a crossroads. It will either perish forever or will emerge as a stronger nation. What is needed is a vision and a sincere leadership that could transform dreams into reality. The problem of overpopulation has now started to haunt us and unless we tackle it pragmatically our dream of a bright and glorious future will just remain a pious wish. It needs a multipronged attack to deal with overpopulation.

A strong Pakistan should be our first priority and if we have to make certain hard decisions for its accomplishment no one should hesitate to lead and pull the trigger. Indeed, Pakistan comes first even before our personal vested interests.

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A Brief on Overpopulation – Why it Matters and What You Can Do About It

Current world population in January 2023: 8 billion

What is overpopulation?

Why is overpopulation an issue?

What is carrying capacity?

How do we revert population overshoot to a sustainable population level?

Increasing Earth’s carrying capacity

Decreasing population numbers

Myth 1 – The human population is stabilizing, and birth rates are decreasing

Myth 2 – China is the only one with the problem and they used cruel methods (one-child policy)

Myth 3 – Poverty causes population growth, therefore development is the best contraceptive

Myth 4 – Educating girls is the key to ending population growth

Myth 5 – Population growth is good for the economy

Myth 6 – Population growth in poor nations does not matter because of their “tiny carbon footprint”

What action can each of us take?

References:

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Meaning of Population Explosion

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