What are the main Consequences of Population Explosion?

Population explosion is a global phenomenon and its consequences can be seen on the surface and in the atmosphere of the Earth. The high growth rate of population, particularly in the developing and underdeveloped countries led a way for declining environmental quality in all spheres of the Earth.

Growing population means growing needs. To meet the need of the growing population, there was tremendous increase in developmental activities. As a result of this, over exploitation of natural resources took place. The over utilization of natural resources, tremendous growth in economic sector and setting up of the large scale industries worldwide manifested a way for declining biological and natural resources and enhancing pollution.

The Earth planet is passing through the major environmental problems such as global warming, climatic changes, ozone depletion, different types of pollution, depletion of natural resources, depletion in fertility of soil, desertification, shrinking forest covered areas and agricultural land, urbanization and acute shortage of water, origin of slums and many more. These problems are worldwide, but more intensive in the developing and underdeveloped countries. The origin of all mentioned problems is population explosion. The major consequen­ces of population explosion are as follows:

(1) Over Exploitation of Natural Resources:

The Earth has limited natural resources in the form of water, fauna and flora, minerals, power resources and soils. Out of them, some are renewable and some are non-renewable resources. The non-renewable resources are being extinct because of over utilization.

Due to high growth in population, the requirements of the people increased at a tremendous rate and consequently, the natural resources were unexpectedly over exploited. It is estimated that within 40 years, the reserves of petroleum will be vanished completely in the world. Similarly, water scarcity can be observed everywhere.

The water crisis and conflict of its sharing within and outside the countries is not a new phenomenon while it took and unprecedented turn and it is common assumption that the third world war would be fought for water. Along with this, all non-renewable resources are at the edge of vanish. The scientists world-wide are working hard to find the substitute for these resources so that the level of requirement can be maintained.

(2) Industrialization and Urbanization:

With the advent of industrial revolution in Europe and its further expansion in the other continents, the process of urbanization began. The high growth rate in population in the villages and urban centers further accentuated its magnitude and the cities mostly in the developing and underdeveloped countries are being converted into slums. The urban areas are facing acute shortage of land and water and severe environmental problems.

Urbanization is a result of growth of population in urban areas. As a country develops from primarily an agricultural to an industrial economy, large-scale emigrational rural residents to towns and cities takes place. During the process, the growth rate of urban areas is typically double the pace of overall population increase. Some 29 per cent of the world population was living in urban areas in 1950; this figure was 43 per cent in 1990, and was projected to be 50 per cent by the year 2005.

Urbanization eventually leads to a severe decline in the number of people living in the countryside, with negative population growth rates in rural areas. Rapid growth of overall population has deferred this event in most less- developed countries, but it is projected to occur in the early decades of the 21st century.

(3) Shrinking Agricultural Land:

There is unbreakable cycle of transformation of forest land into agricultural land and in the same way the agricultural lands are being converted into construction of settlements and establishment of industries in or around the cities. The rate of transformation is tremendous. The tropical rain forests of Amazon Basin, within the territory of Brazil were cut down at a large scale during eighties for construction of agricultural farm lands, which led a way for severe ecological disturbances.

(4) Global Warming:

All the environmental problems are interpreting into one platform, which are devastating for human survival and which are caused by the human induced activities. The global warming, which is caused by emission of toxic gases and enhancement of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is now being a global phenomenon.

In the route of this phenomenon, the developmental activities, launched by man for his welfare, are responsible. Due to global warming, the global average surface temperature has increased over the 20th century by about 0.6 °C. The global average surface temperature (the average of near surface air temperature over land, and sea surface air temperature) has increased since 1861.

(5) Environmental Pollution and Enhancement in Greenhouse Gases:

Life survives within the better environmental conditions. Air, water gases and land, which are called life-supporting layers, are very essential for the existence of life. All these given life-supporting layers are utterly polluted. Water is not much useful for drinking and other purposes in the cities because of high pollution. Similarly, air pollution has given birth to many diseases.

The upper layer of soil is burnt due to excessive use of chemicals fertilizers. It was done for high yield of crops. Population explosion has led a way for worldwide pollution, which is the major cause of contamination of Earth’s environment with materials that interfere with human health, the quality of life, or the natural functioning of ecosystems (living organisms and their physical surroundings).

Although some environmental pollution is a result of natural causes such as volcanic eruptions, most is caused by induced activities. Along with this, an enhancement in the greenhouse gases has given rise to severe problems such as ozone depletion, global warming and climatic change. It is noticed that if the existing trend continues in the future, the issue of survival of life on the earth would be in crisis.

(6) Poverty, Malnutrition and Famine:

Poverty and malnutrition is a growing and common phenomenon in the underdeveloped countries. High growth rate of population and comparatively how production of crops has enhanced the situation of poverty, malnutrition and famine in these countries.