Three Views of Population Growth - 2674 Words

Scenario 1 - Disastrous As the century began, natural resources are under increasing pressure, threatening public health and development. Water shortages, soil exhaustion, loss of forests, air and water pollution, and degradation of coastlines afflict many areas. As the worlds population grows, improving living standards without destroying the environment is a global challenge. Most developed economies currently consume resources much faster than they can regenerate. Most developing countries with rapid population growth face the urgent need to improve living standards. As we humans exploit nature to meet present needs, are we destroying resources needed for the future? In the past decade in every environmental sector, conditions have†¦show more content†¦Pollution is decreasing in the worlds seas due to the improved sanitation. Ocean fisheries are prospering due to the improved measures that are taken to restock the once dwindling ocean resources. • Forests: With improved technology, it is easier than ever to maintain and even improve on the amount of forestry. More trees are being planted and grown, while larger areas are being converted into new forests. As stated earlier, forests provide over US$400 billion to the world economy annually and are vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems. Future demands for forestry products will not even exceed 25% of consumption. • Biodiversity: As stated earlier, the earths biological diversity is crucial to the continued vitality of agriculture and medicine -- and perhaps even to life on earth itself. The global population has realized the importance of plant and animal species and has begun to reproduce those plant and animal species which were once on the verge of extinction. • Global climate change: The earths surface has begun to cool due to the lowered amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The global temperature will begin to decrease and sea levels would remain at a normal level. The once feared issue of global warming will become nothing more than a distant memory. Scenario 3 Ââ€" Wildcard In this third scenario, I have decided to use for my wildcard the Global Abortion Act. Of course there is no such thing as the Global Abortion Act, soShow MoreRelatedChapter Study Questions 1 2 Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pages1. What percentage of Texans live in urban areas (cities suburbs)? 2 90% of the population now lives in crowed cities and suburbs. 2. Name the three cities in Texas that are three of the largest in US? 2 Houston, San Antonio and Dallas 3. What are the three diverse economic businesses in Texas? 4 Oil and gas producer now work alongside high-tech companies, telecommunications giants, and other important business sectors. 4. In what areas does Texas consistently rank at the bottom in stateRead MoreHuman Overpopulation Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pagesvirtually every dire global problem is rapid population growth (â€Å"Human Species Threatens†). Human numbers are expected to boost almost by fifty percent. By 2050, the population is expected to reach 9.1 billion people. The growth will be apparent in existing or new cities of developing countries. Simultaneously, richer nations may lose population through a slower growth rate, due to prosperity (Viegas 143). Immigrant Indians are sustaining Europe’s stagnant growth rate. Around the world, young womenRead MoreNegative Effect of Overpopulation.1365 Words   |  6 PagesTHE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF POPULATION GROWTH Some observers attribute nearly all of the world s maladies to excessive population growth. They claim that rapid population growth has at least three adverse effects on human well-being. First, it increases poverty--the number of people that are impoverished, the proportion of the community that is impoverished, and the severity of the impoverishment. Second, it increases environmental degradation--the misuse of natural resources--with adverse consequencesRead MoreA Great Matter Of Concern Today Or Just A Bust?1667 Words   |  7 Pagesproblem of over population has been curbed and infant production rate controlled. Recently, one of the commentators in prominent U.S. publication declared that the population boom is a bust. Whether it is actually a bust now or is it still standing as a matter of great concern? â€Å"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function† (Barlett, 2005). In 8000 B.C., the world hardly had 5 million people, which accounts to the population of Papua NewRead MoreThe Effects Of The Malthusian Catastrophe Throughout The Past Few Centuries1498 Words   |  6 PagesWealth of Nations, his view of classical economics flourished. One of his successors Thomas Malthus continued with a more pessimist view of society, while still keeping to Smith’s fundamentals. Out of this pessimistic viewpoint comes the Malthusian Doctrine, which states that as the population rate grows greater than the rate of produce to feed it, and, if unchecked, the world s population will double every 25 years. At the same time land cannot keep up with the population growth, because land cannotRead MoreThe Current World s Population1409 Words   |  6 Pagess population is approximately seven billion people, and the amount of time that it takes for the population to increase by another billion is decreasing with each billion. According to the World Population Data sheet, there will be about eight billion people by the year 2020, and this is due to its continuation of growth (Southwick 159). A clear understanding of the causes and what might possibly happen is the first step to dealing with the population crisis. The world s human population hasRead MorePopulation Growth and Economic Development1152 Words   |  5 PagesDO LARGE POPULATION A KEY TO ECONOMIC PROGRESS Introduction: Thomas Malthus in his published book â€Å"An Essay on the Principle of Population† claimed that there is a tendency for the population growth rate to surpass the production growth rate because population increases at a geometrical rate while production increases at an arithmetic rate. Thus, the unfettered population growth in a country could plunge it into acute poverty. However, the pessimist view has proven unfounded for developed economiesRead MorePopulation Growth and Feeding the Poor Essay example1395 Words   |  6 Pageskills more people every year than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. Additionally, the vast majority of hungry people (827 million) live in developing countries, where 14.3 percent of the population is undernourished (Hunger Statistics). On that note, many people like to associate population growth as a cause that will lead to the scarcity of food, which is not entirely true. There are more than enough global food resources, and yet world hunger is extensive. In fact, most hungry people liveRead MoreEssay on Population Growth and Standard of Living945 Words   |  4 PagesPopulation Growth and Standard of Living Recently, the human population on this planet surpassed an amazing milestone. In the year 2000 it hit 6 billion, and without a sign of slowing down, continue to increase at an unprecedented pace. After taking nearly 3 million years to reach our first 1 billion, it has taken us only 11 years to raise our population the most recent billion (from 5 to 6). This rate of growth can be graphically interpreted as a J-shape pattern. If the past is any indicationRead MoreMy Views On America Moving Toward A Sustainable Society1740 Words   |  7 Pages1. Given all we’ve discussed about the ecologic condition of the planet now and if current consumption patterns continue tell me your views on whether you think Americans as a whole are moving toward a sustainable society. If not what are your views on one or two changes to these patterns that could improve potential for achieving a sustainable society. My views on America moving toward a sustainable society, looking at our current pattern could be highly achievable. Our generation is becoming