Human health and environment the huge population pressurizes and degrades the environment physically, chemically and biologically. Human impact on the environment about three hundred years ago there was a definite spurt in the population of the human race. The rapid increase of human population is putting an incredible strain on our environment. Population growth and the resultant human activities generate pressures to the natural and manmade environments. Finally, the impact of the hivaids epidemic on future mortality is assumed to. These areas become childrens sources of contamination due to the incubation and proliferation of flies, mosquitoes, and rodents. Population and the environment the link between population growth and environmental impact seems obvious at first glance. The interactions between human population dynamics and the environment have often been viewed mechanistically. The geometric rise in human population levels during the twentieth century is the fundamental cause of the loss of biodiversity. This was brought about with advancements in sanitation and technology, as well as a dramatic fall in the death rate. Population growth, ecosystem services and human wellbeing.
The conversion of natural lands to croplands, pastures, urban areas, reservoirs, and other anthropogenic landscapes represents the most visible and pervasive form of human impact on the environment. Population and environment the sole social science journal focused on interdisciplinary research on social demographic aspects of environmental issues. As might be imagined population growth has positive and negative effects on development. Chapter 5 human settlements department of environmental. Various diseases hiv aids, tb, malaria, water borne diseases.
Impact on the environment 12 ecological footprints united states 5 hectaresperson human health and environment the huge population pressurizes and degrades the environment physically, chemically and biologically. The relationship between land use and all associated activities, and the. The relationship between population and the environment is a significant issue due to its impact on chances for achieving sustainable development, especially in developing countries. While developed countries continue to pollute the environment and deplete its resources, developing. Theoretical accounts on the populationenvironment link. Human population and the environment 215 3 to 4 billion, in 14 years.
Some scientists fear that global warming will lead to rising sea levels and extreme weather. However, net population growthwhether through natural increase or migrationin higherincome european areas potentially has greater detrimental effects on the environment than does growth in a lowerincome area because the average european inhabitant has such high consumption. Human population growth and the environmentexplosive population growthlimited natural resourcesincreasing environmental stresssustainable use. Through human intervention, we have altered our ecosystem forever. The journal publishes cuttingedge research that contributes new insights on the complex, reciprocal links between human populations and the natural environment in all regions and countries of. The relationship between environmental problems and population growth is. Most writers on environment and population are loathe to touch such predictions. Factors effecting environment population growth impact. The impact of population growth on economic development is a complex issue.
Previous studies on this relationship have primarily focused on the impact of population growth on the environment, while the impact of the environment on population has received less attention, where. Rising populations put increasing demands on natural resources such as. The ipat equation, first devised in the 1970s, is a way of determining environmental degradation based on a multiple of factors. Environmental and health impact of solid waste disposal in developing cities. The relationship between population and the environment. These effects can be averted by creating a mass environmental awareness movement that will bring about a change in peoples way of life.
Population growth and its environmental and social impact know no national boundaries. The changes in human environment increases the incidence of many diseases. The relation between population and environmental degradation is often considered straightforward. New technologies may lead to better management and distribution of resources. All life on earth obtains its food and other necessities from this environment. The eea plays a quite broad role in building knowledge about the issue of chemicals impact on the environment and human health and also about waste prevention and. Impact of a growing population on natural resources. The expansion of human population and the requirements of our growing human family place strenuous demands on our environment. Different factors which plays a vital role are been discussed in detail. Agricultural and industrial development along with urbanisation and spread of infrastructure combined with population growth has led to environmental degradation. One of the largest environmental effects of human population growth is the problem of global warming.
For the past 10, 000 years, the world has been experiencing a rapid increase in human population. According to united nations estimates, the urban population in asia will nearly double in the next 30 years. Environmental and health impact of solid waste disposal in. But we should be asking, at least, whether such possibilities are real enough to temper the usual demographic confidence about future population projections. Human population impacts environment science in many ways. One of the factors responsible for environment degradation is population growth or population density. This excessive number should signal a call for action concerning resource use and management. Holdren the interlocking crises in popula tion, resources, and environment have been the focus of countless papers, dozens of. Humanenvironment interactions in population and ecosystem. Overpopulation has recognized as a global environmental problem since few decades, as it has caused a number of adverse effects on environment. Introduction there is an increasing recognition of the linkages between rapid population increase and the quality of the environment. The ingenuity with which our species has harnessed natural resources to fulfill our needs is dazzling. Human overpopulation is among the most pressing environmental issues, silently aggravating the forces behind global warming, environmental pollution, habitat loss, the sixth mass extinction, intensive farming practices and the consumption of finite natural resources, such as fresh water, arable land and fossil fuels, at speeds faster than their rate of regeneration.
The teacher guide section includes resources to complement the human impact on ecosystems unit plan. In an agricultural or technological society, each human individual has a negative impact on his environment. Human impact on ecosystems big idea human population growth threatens environmental quality and biodiversity, so conservation. The aim of this paper is to examine impact of population growth on various facets of environment which is. The impact of human population growth on the worlds. Pimentel introduction a h e a l t h y and prudently managed environment is a major benefit to humans and other species. Industrialization, burning fossils fuels, non renewal resources, pollution, increased co2 level. Currently the world population is about 6 billion and is projected to reach 10 billion by 2040, based on the present growth rate of 1. Effects of human overpopulation everything connects.
Choose a topic of interest from the list provided or come up with a topic not on the list involving a specific human impact on the environment. It is not the census figures alone that need to be stressed, but an appreciation of the impact on natural resources of the rapid escalation in the rate of increase of human population in the recent past. You will find a glossary, a timeline, contextsetting activities, a bibliography, curriculum links. Impact of population growth and population ethics on climate change mitigation policy. Nature and natural resources are destroyed as human populations grow. Population, natural resources, and environment 115 unplanned urbanization primarily as a result of ruraltourban migration, asia is the fastest urbanizing region in the world. By around 1850 the worlds population had grown to about. Human impact on the environment project requirements. Population and the environment the impact of population growth on economic development is a complex issue. Pdf the rapid increase of human population is putting an incredible strain on our environment. Even as we tighten our grip on the environment, however, the escalating extent of anthropogenic actions destabilizes longstanding ecological balances 1, 2. Human impact on the enviroment is a doubleedged sword.
Start the discussion today with the notion of sustainability. A case study of granville brook dumpsite, freetown, sierra leone 666. It is not the census figures alone that need to be stressed, but an appreciation of the impact on natural resources of the rapid escalation in the. The chapter also highlights how such change has particularly affected the most vulnerable people in society, who are often the least able to adapt and the most directly dependent on functioning ecosystem. The state of health of people depends on clean environment. Assessment of linkages between population dynamics and. Chapter 1 effects of population growth and urbanization in. At its simplest, it describes how human impact on the environment i is a result of a multiplicative contribution of population p, affluence a and technology t. Polluted environment also affects adversely the health of people. If you plot this equation, you see a curve arching upward over time as the population increases exponentially, assuming no change in the rate. All indications are that the impact of human settlements on environmental resources is increasing. The challenge for environmental management david pimentel, x.
Rich countries general improvement in the quality of the human environment. The effect of population growth on the environment. Essay on human impact on the environment 1544 words. As the global human population continues to grow, so too does our impact on the environment. The formula for exponential population growth is nn 0 e rt where n 0 is the starting population, e is a logarithmic constant 2. Human population as a dynamic factor in environmental degradation. The interactions between human population dynamics and the environment.
Population growth and its impacts on nature and natural resources. The world population refers to the total number of living humans on earth at a given time. Today, roughly 40% of earths land surface is under agriculture, and 85% has some level of anthropogenic influence. The impact of human settlements on the environment. Its effects are felt on the natural environment also. In particular, population density plays the most important role in shaping the socioeconomic environment. Effects of population growth and urbanization in the pacific islands more than 35 percent of the people of the pacific islands live and work in towns, and the rate of urban population growth throughout most of the region is high figure 1. The environmental implications of population dynamics. The impact of so many humans on the environment takes two major forms. What are environmental problems due to population growth. It is paramount for humans to understand that our planet is a bounded.
Impact of population growth complacency concerning this component of mans predicament is unjustified and counterproductive. Overpopulation and the impact on the environment cuny. More people should have a greater impact on the environment, if all other factors such as per capita consumption remain unchanged. Poverty, still remains a problem at the root of several environmental problems. Impact of population growth and population ethics on. Overall, eight of the twentytwo pacific countries are now predominantly urban.