Population Increase

Growing worry

As world hits major population milestone, concerns are raised

Jakob Polly pollyjak000@hsestudents.org

According to a report from the Population Division of the United Nations (UN), the eight billionth living person was born on Nov. 15. While also specifying that the Nov. 15 date was only an estimate, the report concluded that eight countries, all located in Africa and Asia, will contribute to over half of the expected population growth through 2050. Although according to that same report the global population is ‘growing at its slowest rate since 1950,’ there has been a sharp increase in those professing the idea of overpopulation: the concept that the human population has exceeded a threshold where the environment is able to sustain neither itself nor the humans who inhabit it. Of the eight nations expected to contribute most to population growth, which include India, Pakistan and Nigeria, among others, all have a shared history of European colonialism. Given this history, some feel as though the notion ‘overpopulation’ is not the right way to look at the topic. “ e idea of overpopulation is harmful because there’s no solution besides killing people or forcing people to not have children,” sophomore Lauden Quiroz said. “It leads to harmful ideas.” Quiroz’s claim is not without historical precedence. In 1943, during a famine in the Bengal province of British occupied India, the then prime minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, blamed the famine on the local Indian population, claiming that they were ‘breeding like rabbits.’ In the years following, British o cials maintained that lack of rainfall was what led to widespread hunger, yet a 2019 study published in the scienti c journal Geophysical Research Letters later concluded that the region received a greater than average amount of rainfall during and in the time leading up to 1943. is information, coupled with earlier evidence from Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen, has led journalist Madhushree Mukerje to conclude that the famine was largely caused by British policy – policy at least partially built on the belief that there were too many inhabitants of the Bengal province. Although mindful of such history, the UN report acknowledges the challenges that come with a growing population, including ‘eradicating poverty, combating hunger and malnutrition, and increasing the coverage of health and education systems.’ “Everyone has to get fed, but with more people it will become harder,” sophomore Sapphire Stahl said. “ ere de nitely will be more challenges [going forward].” AP Human Geography teacher Haley Beauchamp believes that in many instances it is poor distribution, rather than poor production, of foodstu s and other necessities that cause issues. Considering this, Beauchamp stressed the importance of sustainability in combating climate change and

allowing future generations to strive. “It doesn’t feel like the idea of sustainability is at the forefront billionth living person was where it should be,” Beauchamp born on Nov. 15. While also said. “It’s unfortunate when I specifying that the Nov. 15 think about future generations date was only an estimate, the because nobody’s thinking report concluded that eight about sustainability.” countries, all located in Africa While somewhat hesitant, history teacher Tammie Spencer remains hopeful that humans will be able to solve the issues that come with a growing population. An already existing example of this problem solving, Spencer brought up, was hydroponics: the use of water, rather than soil, to grow crops. “When I was a kid, there was exceeded a threshold where the no such thing as hydroponics, environment is able to sustain and now that’s the way to get neither itself nor the humans greenstu to arid climates,” who inhabit it. Spencer said. “Water is hard to come by [in arid climates], but that need brought [about] innovation. With these pressures, we bring more and more innovation.” a shared history of European A growing population and colonialism. Given this history, the advancements that come with it have also caused the global life expectancy at birth to rise almost nine years since 1990. Given these trends, the UN projects that the global population will peak at around 10.4 billion sometime in the 2080s, and remain there until at least 2100. “As [the human population] grows, we’ll perhaps have some more negative things happen,” Spencer said. “But we also have to remember that we have more chances of the Einsteins and the creativity and innovation [that comes] with more minds.”