The world population is growing at a rapid rate. Pundits estimate the world population as over six billion people (Livi-Bacci 8). With such a growth trend, a variety of impacts on resources is evidenced. An uncontrolled growth in human population significantly develops constraints on natural resources and food production (Miller and Scott 5).
There is also a tendency of a large human population exploiting resources and causing an environmental damage. The same negative impact can also be traced in the increased demand on energy. Therefore, exploitation of energy resources causes an energy crisis.
A growing population impact on natural resources focuses on resources such as water, forests and mineral reserves. It is natural that a growing population causes an increased demand on fresh water resources. This has sometimes led to water ownership conflicts. People, communities and countries have engaged on conflicts based on water ownership. This signifies that demand for fresh water is critical to human survival.
The increased demand for water, leads to shortage of water in lakes, dams, wells and rivers. The same impact on natural resources can be traced on deforestation. Demand for land to cultivate, and timber for construction increases with population growth. The use and economic value of minerals increases as the demand from the increasing and available market grows with time. This has seen a lot of mineral reserves depleted by human population over the years.
The survival of humanity has been dependent on energy availability for many years. Industrial civilization has significantly seen increased demand of energy. Although human race has been creative in maintaining the levels and variety of energy resources constant to ensure steady energy supply, there remains a threat of energy availability in the future.
Availability of energy sources like petroleum is not certain in the future considering that oil reserves may soon get depleted. However, the demand for energy has already sparked a need to use non-depleted energy sources like geothermal and wind energy. The current growing population is supported by electricity as an artificial energy source.
A large human population offers enough labor to produce enough food. However, there still remains a large population that cannot afford to feed on a balanced diet. With a large population, poverty becomes a critical issue that contributes to world hunger. The increasing world population has prompted the creation of food production mechanisms such as the genetically modified food products.
Again, distribution of food among the world’s population is dependent on a population’s food demand, economic status and available food production resources. Overpopulation in a region with less food production resources leads to a hunger crisis. It also becomes difficult to distribute food among the people.
An increasing human population puts pressure on the environment. In most cases, negative impacts on the environment are associated with an increasing human population (Livi-Bacci 23). The consumption rates on environmental factors rises due to an increasing demand on natural resources.
Land degradation as a result of increased demand on land for food production and construction also heightens as time progresses. Aspects such as environmental pollution cannot be ignored when population increases. This can be evidenced when industrial civilization by humans leads to disposal of pollutants on the environment. Factors such as global warming have become the current global and environmental threats in recent years. Global warming is predicted to continue in the future if effective measures are not established.
Works Cited
Livi-Bacci, Massimo. A concise history of world population. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print.
Miller Jr, G. Tyler, and Scott E. Spoolman. Living in the Environment. London: CengageBrain. Com, 2011. Print.