Introduction
World Population refers to the aggregate number of human being living in the world. The current human population is estimated to be 6.8 billion people by the United Nations. This is expected to increase even though there are low fertility rates in both developed and developing world. Over the years the world populations have been going on an upward trend. Despite the low fertility rate in both developing and developed world a massive world population it’s expected to rise till the year 2050 where it is projected to be 9.37 billion people (Jiang, & O’Neill, 2005).
Beside United Nation projections, other projection states that the world population will reach a crest in the year 2050 at a population of 9 billion people. This crest have bee attributed to the gradual decrease in birth rate all over the world. In another phenomenon, environmental and other disasters associated with population growth will eventually control the population. For instant, population increase has lead to pressure on resources which has had a negative effect on the population (O’Neill, & Chen, 2002).
Various efforts have been undertaken by various governments to control population growth, for instant, in the United States of America, family planning methods/ techniques to avoid conception have been initiated and thus reducing birth rates. In India, the government have initiated a project where they tested women between the age of 16 – 35 whether they are pregnant and if not they were to be given some amount of money. This too was a method to control population through reducing birth rates (Jiang, & O’Neill, 2005).
Statement of the problem
Despite the world governments controls, the population has continuously increased. This has posed a major threat and pressure on the forest resources throughout the world. Due to population increase massive forest and bush areas have been cleared to provide land for cultivation and grazing ground and areas and timber for putting up shelters for the growing population. This has resulted to destruction of water catchment’s areas thus reducing the volumes of water in rivers and lakes (Kaimowitz & Angelsen, 1998).
Destruction of forest resources have also resulted to reduction in rain fall and this has resulted to increased occurrence of drought resulting to hunger and eventually death to all living things. Due to the fact that there is no rain desserts have increased in both severity and size. For instant, Sahara dessert in Africa has extended to reach countries that initially were not affected, example of these countries include Sudan, Washington and Ireland. Thus there is a need to control the world population (Robert & Richard, 2000).
Justification for the choice of the topic
Over the past years the world consumption of energy resources has risen four times higher than the previous years. This has been attributed to the increased population. Non- renewable energy resources such as coal, oil nuclear fuel, timber and biomass and other renewable resources such as water, wind and sun have been highly depleted. This does not leave out forest resources which include timber, natural honey, and rubber among others which have been highly depleted. This calls for an extensive research on the effects of population increase on forest resources in all parts of the world (Kaimowitz & Angelsen, 1998).
Research methodology
This is a guide on how one is to conduct the research, collect data and analyze the data.
Nature and sources of data be collected
To achieve the objectives of the research both primary and secondary data are to be collected. Secondary data involves data collected from journals, magazines, reports and books that have the information required while primary data is to be collected from the ground or the area being research (O’Neill & Chen, 2002).
Research Design
This is a plan on how to conduct a research. Quasi- experimental design will be used in this research because large amount of materials from existing data will be used. This design does not assign any number to the individuals or the material and thus it is most appropriate in this research.
Research methods
Two research methods are to be used and these include; use of existing data and observation. Existing data method is to be used because, it saves time, money and effort as opposed to use of survey which include conducting interviews and administering questionnaire and thus making it time consuming and more expensive. Observation method is to be because, fast hand information is obtained from the ground and the data can be recorded by use of photography or films. Although this method is a bit expensive close involvement with the group is encouraged and thus bringing a better understanding of the problem. A large sample can be observed as compared to interviews where only a small sample is interviewed (O’Neill & Chen, 2002).
Data Analysis and Presentation
Qualitative and Descriptive data analysis and presentation techniques will be used in this research. In Descriptive analysis proportions and percentages obtained from existing data will be used to represent the total area of the forest that have been cleared and the percentages of the declining forest resources. In qualitative analysis statistical tables and pie charts will be used to represent the increasing population trend and its effects to the forest resources.
Resources required
Various resources will be required in order for the research to be successful; photography materials, an air craft for aerial photography, writing materials, and journals on effects of population on world resources and relevant books and magazines.
References
Robert, E. & Richard, P. (2000), People in the Balance: Population and Natural Resources at the Turn of Millennium. Population Action International.
Jiang, L. & O’Neill, B. (2005), Economic Growth: Population Changes and Residential Energy Consumptions in China. Tours, France.
Kaimowitz, D. & Angelsen, A. (1998), Economic Model of Tropical Deforestation. Center for International Forestry resort, Indonesia.
O’Neill, B. & Chen, B. (2002), Demographic Determinants of Energy Consumption in United States of America. Tours, France.