United Nations (UN) estimated that the world population would be 8 billion people before 15th November 2022. UN had predicted that the world population would explode if the world population couldn’t be controlled. UN had many programs to control population growth beginning in the midst of 1960. At the time, the world population was 3.5 billion. Unfortunately, many programs aimed at controlling population growth had been failed because many countries didn’t have appropriate strategies to implement controlling population growth in their countries. Overpopulation created many social and environmental issues for the next generations.
There are many issues that are caused by overpopulation:
Illiterate issue
Illiterate today is defined differently than half a century ago. A long time ago, illiterate was defined as can’t read or write or do basic mathematics. Along with developing modern technologies, illiterate is defined as people who can’t finish middle school or high school. Some developed countries consider illiterate if people can’t finish high school, the majority of under-developing or developing countries are lower standards of their basic education to complete middle school. Can you imagine how parents take care of their children if they have more than two children? School supplies and the raising costs of children inflated every year while incomes of workers increased a little bit that can’t catch up with inflation. The underdeveloped or developing countries can erase illiteracy by targeting the fertility rate of two children per woman.
Lacking job issues
Lacking jobs should be understood as lacking jobs or jobs that can’t provide enough income to live. In globalization today, many low pay jobs from developed countries transfer to underdeveloped countries. For example, many companies from Western rich countries outsourced their manufacturers to China in the 1980s and 1990s. Now China becomes richer, they are outsourcing their manufacturers to African countries or Cambodia or Laos in order to compete with their competitors. Parents who have more than two children often can’t invest adequately in their children’s education or working skills to get enough liveable income.
Economic growth
Many poor countries stay poor for a long time because they can’t tackle their overpopulation growth issue. Even though many factors contribute to poor countries staying the same such as famine, natural disasters, and wars. But overpopulation is a major factor contributing to keeping poor nations staying poor.
Environmental issues
When the population grows, human has to destroy the forest for farmlands, road infrastructures, schools, buildings for offices or manufacturers, and residential development lands. In addition, the more people come with the more consumption. When we consume more oils, gas, and air condition, we emit more CO2 and pollutants to orbit that damage good ozone that shields us from Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Over drilling for oils or gas and mining can cause ecosystem disasters for the environment. Global warming and sea level rise are caused by environmental issues . Even the topics are still debated, but scientific evidence seems to support them.
Wars
When countries have overpopulation issues, they often look at countries around to control natural resources by economic means or political means, and even wars. For example, many African countries fight against one another in order to control natural resources such as oils, minerals, lands, and water.
Many poor nations always complained to rich nations about their colonial past, but they don’t realize that their overpopulation issues caused them to stay poor. I am sure that you can’t find any rich nations that have overpopulation issues. This article is based on my perspective and knowledge, if you have different perspectives or views about overpopulation issues, please leave comments below.