The Matter Of Overpopulation And The Role Of Engineers In The Resolution Of The Problem

This essay examines the matter of overpopulation, mainly by the year 2050. The research done in this study includes consequences and a few solutions to this challenge. An opinionated view was given, along with my role in the involvement in the resolution of such gradually occurring problem. The discussion of this topic serves as an awareness and possibly a revolution to the dissipating of one of Earth’s major challenges.

Introduction

Currently on our planet Earth, there are about 7. 6 billion people alive today, and this number continues to grow every day. With the current statistics of population growth, it has been estimated that the Earth’s population will reach over 9 billion by 2050. Overpopulation is defined as an undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of a specific geographical location or, by extension, the Earth. There are several causes of overpopulation, such as poverty, rising fertility rates, reduced mortality rates, and other factors. This will become problematic if nothing is done to combat it. In this essay, consequences of this problem will be discussed, along with available solutions. My opinion and involvement, as an engineer, on this matter will also be expressed.

Consequences of Overpopulation

Increased Resource Consumption: As the population of the Earth increases, so will its resource consumption. Water is one of such resources. About 1. 2% of all freshwater is accessible through the surface, and out of that, only 21. 39% is available through lakes and rivers (20. 9% and 0. 49% respectively), and 30. 1% is underground water. The remaining percentage is frozen water in the form of glaciers and ice caps, which would be risky to obtain given the current state of the rising sea levels. This means that only the surface and ground water are our sources of fresh water currently. Based on the research of the Global Outlook for Water Resources to the Year 2025, it has been estimated that most of the world’s population will have a fresh water demand of around 70% of what’s available. Another research report done by over two dozen United Nation (UN) bodies stated that nearly half of the world’s people will be living in areas of acute water shortage by just year 2025. Even as water being a necessity in our daily lives, it is being used at a rate of at least 10 times more that it’s replenishing speed. With a growing population, it will be ever more difficult to conserve such a vital supply. Aside from water, there are other resources that will suffer from this population growth. Such resources would include fossil fuels, livestock, and vegetation. All these would be depleted at high rates. A study done by the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP), involving over 1400 scientists, explains humans now require a third more land to supply their needs than the planet can supply.

If humans become desperate, especially in developing countries, the effects of shortages in resources can result in wars and territorial conflicts to survive.

Environmental Impacts: As the population increase, so will human activity. This, in turn, means a greater demand and strain on the Earth’s environment. One aspect is the impact on ecosystems. Studies have shown that rainforests previously covered 14% of the Earth’s surface. Since then to now, it has been reduced to about 6% and will be completely consumed due to deforestation before the next 40 years, according to experts. As mentioned before, resources, particularly fossil fuels, will be consumed at a faster rate. With fossil fuels being one of the main contributors to greenhouse gases, this would mean that the amount of such gas will be more abundant in the atmosphere, cause higher global temperatures. Industrial activity will also increase, cause more pollution of the oceans. All these can negatively impact marine life and ecosystems. Coral reefs have suffered and vanished over the years. 30% of all the reefs have been destroyed since 1980. Over half of the world’s wetlands are gone some places suffering more than others.

As ecosystems are being devastated, so will their inhabitants. Studies done by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), stated that almost a third of the examined species on Earth, both flora and fauna, is on the brink of extinction. If no positive changes occur, scientists have warned that at least half of Earth’s species will go extinct, mainly due to destruction of habitats, overhunting and overfishing, and other factors. It is evident that overpopulation will not only affect humans, but animals and plant life as well.

Role as an Engineer

An engineer is defined as a profession that involves the application of science to the optimum conversion of the resources of nature. Engineering involves a variety of functions, such as research, development, management, and a list of others. In summary, the role of engineering is to develop new technological solutions. Civil engineering specifically, though more involved in the construction aspect of the environment, is meant to create, improve, and protect both environmental and social aspects of the Earth.

Solutions

Policy Changes: To solve, or at least mitigate, the problems of overpopulation would be to adopt a similar policy to that of China into other countries. China’s one-child policy reduced its fertility rates from 6 births per woman in the 1960s to 1. 5 in 2014. In some countries, implementing this policy may seem as a restriction to freedom, or as a disadvantage in terms of financial incentives. Despite of this, it can help to regulate the amount of offspring a couple can have, in turn, controlling the rate of population growth.

Improved Education: The lack of education relating to the matter of overpopulation is a great cause of it. Better education, especially on the matter of sex, can help society to better understand the importance of the matter. Such education can include family planning with the use of contraceptives. Many people today are engaging in sexual acts without the mentality of planning a family ahead. Such actions result in unwanted pregnancies, or even single parenting. In the United States, in 2011, almost half of pregnancies were unwanted. The education about overpopulation, overall, is what is important. This way, society will have a better understanding of the situation, rather than just the solutions that leaders and scientists currently have. This way, people can invent their own solutions to this problem, or even further research the current solutions. In effect, this can help in the mitigation of overpopulation, thus risking the Earth’s survival.

My Point of View

Based on the research done during this assignment, I have found that this matter will become more and more apparent as it happens. For now, it does not seem like the problems is being addressed as significantly as it should be, but engineers may be able to at least mitigate the problem in the future. However, in my opinion, the problem of overpopulation will persist. As far as humanity is concerned, problems as major as overpopulation tend to be taken seriously when the circumstances are dire. Even if engineers have the solution, it’s up to society to accept it. Still, there will be some selfish humans out there only who will only agree or support unless they are affected in some way.

Engineers have played a major part in shaping the world as it is today, so it would not be surprising if they derive a solution that people can agree upon. In my standpoint, any construction based, solution is only viewed as temporary, since the resources necessary, to construct taller instead of wider homer for example, would eventually run out. Adopting the one-child policy from China may seem to be an efficient solution. This may be as a disadvantage to some, but in the long run, it will be better than waiting possibly years or decades for the proper solution. Another solution that I have, in harmony with family planning, is educating the human population of post-marital sex. To put bluntly, society tends to allow premarital sex without caring for the problems it poses. Even with available contraceptives, we still face the problem of unwanted pregnancies due to no practice of the use of such material. By promoting the practice of post-marital sex, couples will have a better mindset of how to plan a family. Especially if taught at a young age, post-marital sex can cause a major impact on society, possibly reducing the amount of unwanted pregnancies, specifically with unmarried couples, or even strangers. This, in turn, can also reduce abortion rates as well.

My Contribution to the Solution

As an engineer, I see myself as part of the solution analysing aspect of the problem. I don’t see myself as the only person brainstorming on the topic and thinking of ways to help society. As how all problems are solved, more than one head is necessary. This involvement is beneficial to myself also because I will be able to learn from other fellow engineers the way they think and how to further understand different ways to approach challenges. If not in the analysing phase, the implementation phase is also important to be a part of. This way, it is easier to monitor and confirm that the solution is properly implemented. Whatever it may be, I’d like to be part of a project that moves humanity forward to make Earth a better home.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many consequences and currently limited options available for the solution of overpopulation. In my opinion, the one-child policy seems to be the best temporary solution until this problem has been regulated. Generally, improved education, based on the matter at hand and on the topic of sexual relations, will prove to be a major role in the shaping of how the world thinks, especially our future generations. Whatever the sensible, moral and available solution is agreed upon, I’d like to play a role that suits me best in the improvement of the Earth. On the other hand, if nothing is done, I will unfortunately be partaking in a different role - watching as humanity drives the Earth to extinction.