By Christian A

The population problem highlights an increase in population leads to an increased demand for water, energy, food, healthcare, housing, and transportation. The world’s population has been advancing significantly. Current world population is double the world population of mid-twentieth century. The United Nations projects the world population to grow to 9.7 billion by 2050 and could peak at 10.4 billion by mid-2080s. Although the rate of growth has suggested that population growth rate has slowed down in recent years, it is still highlighted as a global issue for the United Nations. To answer the question, with the continued increase in populations unideal situations would arise in the future. However, with the recent developments of technology, it may be perceived that there are potential measures in place to solve the population problem. This article aims to remedy and delve deeper into the question – do we have a population problem? 

First, the facts must be faced about significant population trends. The two most populous countries in the world are India and China, which both have around £1.4 billion people. Both form 18% of the world’s population. Population growth is expected to be the highest in the continent of Africa up to 2050, because of its extremely young population. Much more relatively, according to the Financial Times, population growth in England and Wales have experienced high population growth in the last 75 years. We are noticing an upwards trend in population growth. But many fears continue to arise about population, and whether population growth will be an issue in the upcoming future. 

Population growth often has significant consequences. One major effect is resource depletion, as increasing demand for food, water, and energy strains the environment, leading to deforestation, pollution, and climate change. Rapid population growth can overwhelm public services such as healthcare, education, and housing, creating overcrowded cities, unemployment, and poverty. This can foster social unrest, as competition for limited resources heightens tensions. Overpopulation can also intensify the environmental impacts such as climate change, with increased carbon emissions and greater environmental degradation. 

Graph showing the ‘Malthusian Catastrophe’

The population problem first arose from a man named Thomas Malthus. Malthus articulated an argument about the relationship between population growth and resource availability. According to Malthus, population tends to grow exponentially, while food supply only grows arithmetically, as shown in the graph above. He argued that this mismatch, will eventually lead to a situation where the population outstrips the available resources, causing widespread famine, disease, and conflict. Malthus’ theory resonates significantly in the modern population problem. As the population of the world continues to grow, there continues to be a strain on the Earth’s resources. Issues such as food scarcity, environmental degradation, and overconsumption of resources are highlighted as consequences of population growth – more people inevitably put more demands on the planet. Many developing countries experience these issues, especially in countries with the highest population growth, mainly African and Asian countries. 

However, there is a still in which the population problem can easily be resolved, in the most humane way possible. The distribution of resources amongst a growing population can be easily achieved through increased population growth. While Malthus’ theory is still mainly correct, his theory did not account for technological innovations that can help manage population growth and resource production more effectively. This is accounted for by Ester Boserup, in which she suggests that population growth could drive technological innovation and improvements in agricultural productivity. In her view, necessity is the mother of invention – human ingenuity would find solutions to the challenges posed by a growing population. 

Graph showing Boserup’s Theory

Through technological advancements, it is possible to control population growth. Digital platforms and mobile health apps help provide information about reproductive choices. Advances in contraceptive technologies such as more reliable and long-acting methods, help individuals plan their families more effectively. Additionally, online education tolls that raise awareness about family planning, gender equality, and reproductive rights can encourage informed decision-making. By making reproductive health more accessible and empowering people with information (especially in LICs or developing countries), these innovations can contribute to a more sustainable population growth rate. 

In conclusion, while population growth presents significant challenges, such as resource depletion and environmental strain, technological advancements offer promising solutions. Malthus’ theory of population outpacing resources stays relevant, but as Boserup suggested, innovation can rise to meet the demands of a growing population. Advances in contraceptive technologies, digital health platforms, and education on family planning can help control population growth and manage resources more efficiently. By using these innovations, we can address the population problem and work toward a more sustainable future.