Maybe China wasn't all that Crazy

-Shreya Sivakumar

8,045,311,447 people [1] which means 16,090,622,894 hands and feet with the inherent capacity to leave an everlasting mark. The only problem here is that the mark only has 148 million km2[2] to leave an impression on. The statistics might have been perplexing but the bottom line stays the same: too many people, too little earth.

Overpopulation is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as the condition of being populated with excessively large numbers. It refers to a situation where the masses surpass the capacity of mass that they can amicably inhabit. With the capability to single handedly start a domino effect of disruptions and destructions, it presently poses an imminent threat to the ecosystem.

Aside from the obvious cause of overpopulation being an increase in the number of births per year, due credit has to be given to the irony that the improved healthcare facilities that helped reduce the mortality rate currently plays a role in slowly killing the planet. Furthermore, lack of knowledge in family planning leads to unwanted pregnancies. It has been estimated by WHO that nearly 24 million women in developing countries do not use contraceptives despite wishing to not be pregnant. [3]

Now it is a known fact that all living organisms are dependent on natural resources for their survival. With an increase in organisms, there is an inevitable rise in consumption requirements. This direct relationship leads to a major issue known as overconsumption which results in the early depletion of the earth’s raw materials as it is done at a deplorably fast rate which interferes with the innate process of resource replenishment. Additionally, it would aggravate climate change with an assured spike in deforestation, pollution, emission levels, etc.. Overpopulation is expected to bring about more violence and strife over land and other resources which would worsen problems that are already being faced today. The battle over land boundary will undoubtedly extend into wildlife habitats and blur the boundaries that needs to be maintained with animals to reduce the risk of pandemics [3]

The only question that remains now is how can this issue be combatted. China was en route to providing a greener shade for their country back in 1979. Although when the One Child policy was passed by the Chinese government it wasn’t with the intent of restoring ecological balance but rather to facilitate economic growth, the positive impact it has had on the environment is undeniable. With the decree mandating families to have only one offspring, it was estimated by government officials that it prevented the burden of around 300 to 400 million people being added to its existing large population. Consequently, it was noticed by Chinese negotiators that it yielded a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide and other gasses by 1.8 billion tons. Although the policy was rescinded in 2015, it is believed that the negative repercussions of permitting families to have two children will only be felt around 2035 when there is an expected reduction in the impact the population has on the environment.[4] The other methods recommended to help solve the problem posed by overpopulation include educating young girls and discouraging them from having early marriages, making family planning programs and contraceptives more accessible, encouraging adoption and limiting the number of children a family decides to have, legalizing abortion and many more. [5]

In summary, the planet's deteriorating state is not solely based on urbanization or the holes in the ozone layers widening, there are more causes that require attention such as overpopulation. By acknowledging the complications that are certain to arise with having a dense population, individuals are expected to be more responsible with the decisions they make to ensure the earth will not have to endure any further damage. This responsibility needs to be exercised carefully especially when determining the number of offspring they wish to have. It is essential as the consequences of such decisions do not impact a single family but the planet as a whole. It is high time that one becomes more environmentally conscious with the choices they make to fabricate a healthier ecosystem. On a larger scale, governments are expected to heed the cry for help and make preventive measures of overpopulation a mandate and model a more sustainable country which would ultimately fashion a sustainable world. Afterall, it really is the small changes that make a big difference.

Bibliography

1:

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/#:~:text=The%20World%20Population%20in %202023,the%20world%20population%20was%207%2C909%2C295%2C151

2: https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/earth.htm#:~:text=Total%20Surface%20Area%3A%20a bout%20509,total%20surface%20of%20the%20Earth

3:

https://www.populationmedia.org/the-latest/overpopulation-cause-and-effect

4:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/zm7zqj/chinas-lifted-its-one-child-policy-and-heres-what-that-means-for-the-environment

5:

https://mahb.stanford.edu/library-item/solutions-overpopulation-can/