Sep 25, 2019 in Informative

Effects of Over-Consumption and Increasing Population


This paper studies the effects of overconsumption and increasing population on the environment around the world. It is vital to note that over-consumption and an increased population play a significant role in the global environment. The global economy has hence suffered greatly due to these environmental problems. It is critical to accept that the human population around the globe has had a negative toll on the prosperity of their environment. For instance, increased human activity will impact on aspects such as limited land and degrading the environment. From these actions, there is a great probability that social evils like war and political instability.

This environmental study paper will critically bring into picture the global scenario around effects of overconsumption and increasing population. The aspect of overconsumption serves to address the utility of available resources by a vast, growing population. Whereby, the rate of consumption is threatening to global resources as there is competition, greed or even lack of sufficient resources for some individuals. This paper studies the various these effects while taking a keen interest in the environmental degradation that they cause. Using data from secondary sources, vital information is discussed based on the global scene. This discussion creates a time-conscious analysis and credible debate on trends in the global environment.

Increasing Population and Environment

In the year 1960-1999, studies conducted by a group called Research Brief showed that the global population doubled from three billion to six billion people. Initially, this was seen to be a great achievement considering that there was a substantial improvement in an increased life expectancy, there was an average healthier living and nourishment for these individuals was also bettered. In spite of these general lifestyle improvements, there was a great change in the environmental scenario all over the world. Global changes in the environment, accelerated with more pollution, depletion of the available resources and also the threat of experiencing rising sea levels. It is clearly indicated from these events that increasing population on earth is more degrading to the environment.

Environmental Implications Relating to Certain Population Factors

Estimates that were recently conducted by the United Nations indicated 80 million people as the increase in global population every year. This size is comparable to the current population of Germany. Fertility rates have reduced in many areas around the world; this is different for Africa and Asia. These continents are characterized by high levels of fertility. The existence of population momentum is responsible for the notable growth in population, considering that a huge population portion is currently young.

Population Size

It is imperative to note that it is problematic to relate directly environmental change and population size. Nevertheless, increasing the population of the world has a factor in limiting on global resources. These resources include portable water, arable land, fisheries, and forests. These resources are expected to cater for the current population’s demand without exhaustion. It is notable that during the second half of 20th century, decreased farmland led to many growing issues relating to global food production limits. Land requirements per capita in food production are expected to advance towards the limits of land in 21st century. Accelerating population size of the world demands for more water. The consumption of water has risen to double the population growth rate since 1900 to 1995.


Population Distribution

The global environment is hugely influenced by the kind of distribution in its population. Many developing nations having high fertility rates and the low rates of fertility for developed nations silently suggest that an approximate 80% of the population is found in developing nations. It is crucial to consider immigration in this discussion, whereby 125million people in the world by 1996 did not live in their birth countries. The rate of human migration internationally hits a record high of 2-4 million individuals each year.

Overconsumption of Global Resources

Overconsumption is primarily directed on how resources are taken up this growing global population. It is key that the first consumption area be the basic human needs for food, shelter and clothing. All individuals around the globe share in these needs although there is inequality in how these resources are used. Considering that there are social classes for the rich, middle-class and poor. These categories go a long way to determining how global resources are used. For instance, World Bank gave an estimate of 76.7% global private consumption for the 20% world’s richest, 21.1% for the corresponding middle class population and a staggering 1.5% for the poorest.

This assessment shows that inequality derived from the secondary need to have luxury puts the rich at highest consumption expenditure. In order to achieve sustained and balanced global resources expenditure, the already impractical patterns of consumption ought to be altered. Shifting from a high-end consumption to low-end consumption with focus through empowerment and support given to poor producers will boost their stakes. Patterns of consumption that leave the rich at luxurious expenditures should be diminished and promote basic needs expenditure of global resources.

The majority of developing nations are bound by the problem of environmental degradation. This is a risk-related situation as circumstances around instability and civil war root from little internal cohesion. For instance, one group or ethnicity may demand the fleeing of another antagonistic group on grounds of foreign invasion. This might result from differences in accessibility of natural resources like water bodies when they fight for the better-placed position. The effects of this actions precisely, the use of violence, there is a toll on the environment. Warring parties focus on violence negating crucial practices in conservation and agriculture. Also, the participants in farming and conservation are caught in the crossfire hence losing the potential to reconstruct that initiative.

Formulated policies, cultural practices and technology influence how the natural environment and human population dynamics relate. The onset of technology is thought to bring a new era of communication and approach towards living. However, it runs entirely on energy; hence the environmental changes. Natural gas, coal, and oil have a significant increase in use since the 20th century, before then only developed nations took consumed energy in 1960. Reliance on energy for developing nations is at its prime owing to industrialization and urbanization. Policies formulated by organizations leave environment destroyed. Consider the many dumping sites for radioactive waste materials, the long-term result of such continued efforts deem these areas inhospitable and non-occupiable to humans.


Growth in population around the globe is fast-moving with a large index factor. As such it is an influential factor to over-consumption and by virtue environmental degradation. Over the past years research shows that the population seemed to have doubled its initial size. Global organizations and blocs ought to assess and curb this exponential growth as a way to establish sustainability. The effects of overconsumption and increasing population on the global environment following a huge population size that brings about inter-competition and intra-competition within a group. This competition is focused on resources in a settlement on the land and other natural resources. Distribution of the population reflects hugely on the consumption of global resources as densely populated sections have more depleted resources. The over-consumption of global resources is evident in aspects of use energy in technology and industrialization; food reserves are depleted by over-consumption by consumers without proper replenishing tactics. Effects of over-consumption and increasing population on the environment are more detrimental than benefitting.


Related essays