Five problems related to rising population

According to United Nations, world population is projected to reach 8 billion on 15 November 2022. It is also estimated that the world  population will be 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2030 and by the end of this century 10.4 billion. India is projected to surpass China as the world's most populous country during 2023. 

Today, the population growth rate could be seen getting low in India as well as in China. India is expected to reach its peak population of 1.65 billion people by 2060 after which it will begin to decrease. India's growth rate in 2000 was 1.90% which has nearly halved to 0.91% in 2022 and is expected to be somewhere around 0.69% by 2035. Not just in India but the growth rate has seen a significant decline all around the world. 

Global population growth rate will be well under one percent in 2020 for the first time since 1950. This means that the share of population 65 or above is projected to rise from 10% in 2022 to 16% in 2050. By 2050 the number of people aged 65 and over is projected to be more than twice the number of children under age 5 and about the same as the number of children under age 12. The population of 61 countries or areas are projected to decrease by 1% or more between 2022 and 2050. 

Rising Population, Consequences

Increase in population is a massive setback for countries like India, Pakistan, Nigeria to become developed nations. Lot of problems are faced because of this fluctuation in population. Overpopulation also has a major role in  environmental issues that are faced today. These problems will continue to haunt us till the future.

So let’s see what major problems Humans could face in 2050 when majority countries will see negative growth in their population.

Land degradation

To fulfil the need of today’s population and provide them cheaper food we are practising more intense farming. It kills beneficial insects and plants, degrades and depletes the very soil it depends on. In 2050 it is very possible that most of our lands will be unable to produce crops.

Increased Habitat Loss

Due to rise in Temperature, Pollution in water bodies it is very much possible that many species will have to lose their living places. It is also found in study that Australia's great barrier reef may be that by 2050 and all coral reefs may be gone by the end of century. Not only that but also human settled Islands could be submerged under the ocean entirely till 2050.

Exhausted Natural Resource

Human population continues to explode and the need for natural resources is at its all time high. 2050 could be the year when we may be out of fossil fuels, freshwater and even rainforests.

Loss of freshwater

Even today many countries in Africa are suffering from shortage of freshwater.

By 2050 most of the freshwater resources would be either unreachable or too polluted.

By 2030 half of the world population would be living in acute water shortages. 

All information is through UNEP.

Global Warming

Average temperature of earth is increasing at a rate of 1.5 degree Celsius per century.

By 2015 most of the eyes in architecture and Antarctica would be melted.

Global warming is the threat to the biodiversity of the planet 's global climate as disrupted due to human generated greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. 

Conclusion

By the year 2050 humans will also have to face lower life expectancy in fast growing countries, species extension, increase in world hunger and could also see an increase in new epidemics and pandemics. Covid 19 was an example of how a world could be shut and people could lose their life.

Today, we are facing the problem of overpopulation which has contributed to many social and environmental factors. Overcrowding, poor living conditions, malnutrition, inadequate healthcare are some major problems that are being faced today. But we also need to be ready for the day when the population of  countries will decrease. Problems would be different from those that are today. We need to learn from our previous mistakes in order to be ready for it. Countries need to form new policies in order to reduce chaos in the future.

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