Do you agree that it is the greatest problem faced by humanity?

Question

The continued rise in the world's population is the greatest problem faced by humanity at the present time. What are the causes of this continued rise? Do you agree that it is the greatest problem faced by humanity?

Answer 1

In the media, in politics, and in academia, the impact of a massive rise in the total global population is arguably one of the most sensitive and hotly – debated topics among all of the potential threats to humanity that are currently under discussion. The current essay discusses some of the perceived causes of this rise, as well as asks the question of whether in fact an increase in the global population should be considered a serious problem, when compared to other potential threats to our existence.

That there is a global rise in the general human population is in no doubt. China now has a population of over one billion inhabitants despite the best efforts of their government to control this rise through their “one child policy”, while India now has a total number of people approaching the billion mark. The birth rate in the developing world continues to control for financial, political or religious reasons, while in some cultures having a large family offers a degree of security against the impact of disease or accidents that may befall certain members of that family.

However, when discussing the seriousness of this problem compared to other pressing issues, one can find that the reported increase in population is not universal across all societies and cultures. For example, it is often reported that in far – Eastern countries such as Korea and Japan, the birth rate among the indigenous population has dropped sharply over the last few decades, and accordingly, those working in higher education worry that as the numbers of potential students looks set to drop in the coming years, some institutes may well have to close. Other European countries such as the United Kingdom or Sweden are seeing a fall in the birth rates of the native population, while this has been balanced by an increase in the immigrant population. Thus, while in some contexts population growth may appear unsustainable, in other contexts, governments are actively pushing for their populations to increase.

With the above factors in mind, as long as improvements in resource management and food technology are made, it may be possible to support an increase in the population of those in the developing world. At the same time, if developing nations can begin to reach economic parity with the developed world, one might see the increase in the global population eventually become curtailed.