In the last hundred years the population has more than. Therefore, scholars, planners and policy makers realized the sensitivity of the issue challenges that led to the emergence of the concept of sustainable development. If the human population continues to grow unchecked, the effects of overpopulation on the environment will leave us with a planet no longer be able to sustain us. Ehrlich department of biology, stanford university, stanford, ca 94305, usa the authors offer an ecological frame of reference for political action to change the economic and social trends now deepening the human predicament. Impacts of poverty and an inability to manage the environment yifan ding institute of world development, development research center of state council, peoples republic of china keywords. Learn more about the causes and outcomes of environmental degradation in this article. Human overpopulation or population overshoot is when there are too many people for the environment to sustain with food, drinkable water, breathable air, etc. Our environment is deteriorating for the last two centuries and almost every part of the planet has been touched by it in one way or the other. Census bureau projects that the global population will increase to 8 billion by 2025, and as the population increases, the demand for natural resources will increase as well. The aim of this paper is to examine impact of population growth on various facets of environment which is being degraded, every now and then, gradually in india. Environmental degradation, to a large scale, is the result of market failure, namely the nonexistent or poorly functioning markets for environmental goods and services.
In more scientific terms, there is overshoot when the ecological footprint of a human population in a geographical area exceeds that places carrying capacity, damaging the environment faster than it can be. One of the major causes of environmental degradation in india could be attributed to rapid growth of population, which is adversely affecting the natural resources. The impact of population on environmental degradation in south asia. Large scale deforestation is taking place as more land is needed for building houses and industries. Assessing the evidence 10 enhancing the knowledge base a second set of questions concerns policy responses, and how policy makers in countries of origin and destination should address these challenges. It was particularly the report of world commission on environment and development wced commonly known as brundtl and commission.
Overpopulation and environmental degradation term paper. Pimentel introduction a h e a l t h y and prudently managed environment is a major benefit to humans and other species. The united nations international strategy for disaster reduction characterizes environmental degradation as reducing the land boundary to meet social and environmental destinations and needs. Although some regions are more populated than others, overpopulation has repercussions for the environment and everyone who shares it. The relationship as it stands today between man and environment is that man. Over population of bangladesh, environment, management, development. Environmental degradation what you need to know and its.
The intensive growth of humans has hurt biodiversity, increased deforestations and environmental degradation. Postgraduate student, japan study center, university of. All life on earth obtains its food and other necessities from this environment. Wikipedia when the environment becomes less valuable or damaged, environmental degradation is said to occur. Sample answers and topic vocabulary for ielts speaking exam. It is defined as any change or disturbance to the environment perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.
The primary people in india affected by environmental degradation are the farmers because they rely on the land to provide them with the resources they need in. Population growth and environmental degradation bangladesh. The topic of overpopulation is emotionally charged and divisive because it occurs at the intersections of sex, reproductive rights, political and religious affiliations, culture, and violations of human rights campbell, 2012. Effects of overpopulation onthe environment schooled by. Impacts of poverty and an inability to manage the environment. Causes and health consequences of environmental degradation and social injustice. In other words, the population exceeds the region or planets carrying capacitythe number of people, other living organisms, or crops that can be supported without environmental degradation. Impacts to habitat can be caused directly by such activities as the clearing of forests to grow crops or build homes, or indirectly, for example, by the introduction of invasive species. Political ecology also frequently informs the population environment literature.
Aerosol pollution, air pollution, deforestation, global warming, land degradation, ocean acidification and ozone layer depletion to name a few. Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of natural resources such as air, water and soil. Environmental degradation is a result of the dynamic interplay of socioeconomic, institutional and. Thus, in order to prevent these adverse consequences, we should take several measures in our daily life.
Downloadable pdf with list of words, useful phrases and resources plus anki flashcards. Pictured and facts on how the biosphere has been effected by overpopulation. The issue is compounded by the difficulty in providing solutions for this problem and misunderstanding of the causes and effects of overpopulation. What is environmental degradation, causes and effects.
It is paramount for humans to understand that our planet is a bounded system and no help from outside will come to assist the scarcity in natural resources that humans are soon to experience. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the physical environment is affected by a. Overpopulation in india serendip studios one world. The challenge for environmental management david pimentel, x. Partly the response will depend on how we choose to frame the policy challenge from the outset. Impact of population growth on environmental degradation. Today the world population is estimated at over six billion. The term overpopulation is used to describe a situation in which the world or area has a population so large that the people there are suffering as a result. The process of environmental degradation in india has also only accelerated with the growing effects of climate change.
Poverty is both the cause and result of environmental degradation. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to raise awareness of the impact of overpopulation on the environment. Nagdeve abstract the present paper examined the relationship of population to the environment and with growing population, poverty and urbanization the environment is degrading. Overpopulation and environmental degradation 1774 words. Ecological degradation can have serious effects for many animals, plants and also for humanity. Essay on overpopulation and environmental degradation. Some these authors consider deforestation of the rain forest and see evidence of overpopulation. Accounting for outsourcing to chinas carbon footprint during the apportionment of liability for greenhous gas emissions.
Environmental degradation can be defined as the deterioration of the environmental system due to human intervention. Overpopulation means, over use of land and resources. Revisiting the environmental and socioeconomic effects of. The sustaining capacity of the globe is shrinking a little bit every year and soon, if the population trend continues at the current rate the sustaining capacity will have reached its peak. Human overpopulation is among the most pressing environmental issues, silently aggravating the forces behind global warming, environmental pollution, habitat loss, the sixth mass extinction, intensive farming practices and the consumption of finite natural resources, such as fresh water, arable land and fossil fuels, at speeds faster than their rate of regeneration. Environmental degradation contributes to poverty through worsened health and by constraining the productivity of those resources upon which the poor rely, and. The devastating effects of environmental degradation a.
Some contend that overpopulation is a nonissue used by the elite in the global north. Population and the environment the impact of population growth on economic development is a complex issue. Introduction african people and the physical environment there is an intimate relationship between the majority of the africans since the depend on the natural resources for their livelihood. The environmental effects like ground water and surface water contamination. Destruction, degradation, and fragmentation of habitat is the driving force behind todays decline in species and biodiversity. Population growth and environmental degradation in india by dr. Is overpopulation the root cause of environmental degradation. The combined effects of overpopulation, resource depletion, and environmental degradation will cause great economic losses. Overpopulation and the impact on the environment cuny. Environmental degradation has a harmful effect to human beings. Overpopulation is associated with serious negative environmental.
Industrial advancements, land and soil degradation, global warming, climate change, air and water pollution, deforestation, physical. Overpopulation will place great demands on resources and land, leading to widespread environmental issues in addition to impacting global economies and standards of living. Both poverty and environmental degradation have been increasing in many developing countries, hence there is a pressing need first to evaluate and analyze the poverty environmental degradation nexus, and second, to prescribe policy options to mitigate or eradicate these two problems. As indicated by the ipat equation, environmental impact i or. Evidence about environmental degradation the evidence is wellsummarized by article by fprestong. Conducted an analysis of changes and trends over last fifty years. This article originally published on 11618 and was updated on 52119 to include solutions to reversing the effects of overpopulation. Degradation environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water, and soil, the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife. Issues and goals 247 environmental degradation and disaster management social science notes is the nonliving, known as abiotic which includes such items as sunlight, soil, air, water, land, climate etc. African development is based on agriculture and most of african population are traditional. Degradation of the environment caused by human overpopulation with the reliance and growing use of fossil fuels, it has started producing some serious environmental impact. Environmental degradation simply means overall lowering of environmental qualities because of adverse changes brought by human activities. Natural resources, poverty, environment, environmental degradation, overpopulation, market failure, inequality contents 1.
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