Recent years, population increase becomes the major problem for global community and states. It is known that over the last 200 years, world’s population has grown geometrically. 200 years ago there were about 1 billion human beings in the world in contrast to 6.4 billion at the beginning of the 21st century. Scientists single out different causes and factors which influence population increase and life span. They suppose that population increase is marked by economic and social changes, technological and medical innovations, etc (Crus and Meyer, p. 65).
Social developments led to increased possibilities of education and the opening up of a greater variety of life chances. Also, education and family planning reduced child mortality, increased family income and improved conditions of life. The process of globalization has had a crucial impact on information interchange and technology. Technology and medical innovations have become available for a wide target audience. The new methods of production gave less developed countries the opportunity “to jump” through the initial stages of development. Technological drivers include advances in transportation services and fast information exchange. The end of the 2oth century can be seen as a starting point to the global rivalry between nations, states and continents. This stage is connected with the increased volume of capital movements. Stratification systems and institutional structures ate the most vital underlying features of society over the last decades. Taking into account the population growth rates, it is evident that India has the highest rate – 1.606%. The place is occupied by the USA (0.894%) and the third one – Australia (0.824%). The negative population growth rates have Japan (-0.088%) and Germany (-0.033%) (Crus and Meyer, p. 22). Concerns about the relationship between population increase and environmental degradation are frequently focused rather narrowly on aggregate population levels. Yet, the global impact of humans on the environment is as much a function of per capita consumption as it is of overall population size. A century ago there was a great shift in production facilities and methods of agriculture. Increasing productivity through higher yield crops, and new geographical locations for crops allowed farmers to produce more food for the world’s population.
The current social-demographic situation suggests that birth control is the only possible measure to reduce the global population and stop its fast growth rates. Primarily, the birth control programs should cover less developed countries and nations. The population of Asian and African countries should be educated on how to use contraceptive methods and avoid undesired pregnancies. Developments in biotechnology and genetically modified food over the last decade have been accompanied by often exaggerated food supply (Crus and Meyer, p. 72). Development, suggesting as it did social aspects such as increasing welfare provision and decreased inequality, had a particular and positive impact on groups such as children, the aged and indigenous peoples. New sources of power and energy (oil and natural gas) have improved economic conditions of millions of people.
In sum, some prophets of the new technology have underestimated the pace of technical innovation and overstated the probable flow of useful end products to agriculture. In contrast to the 20th century, today many countries have significantly changed their economic structures where governmental responses have been particularly flexible. Industrialization process and international trade fastened exchange of goods. Improved productivity and high wages resulted in higher standards of living ‘achieved’ by different social classes.
Works Cited
Crus, M.C., Meyer, C.A. Population Growth, Poverty, and Environmental Stress. World Resources Institutem 2002.