2007-02-07 22:16:12 · 9 answers · asked by Stef 4 in Environment
Our current population is about 6.5Bn with projections raising this to 9Bn within 20 years. The graph (which I'm sure you've seen) then flattens out.
Any idea why it flattens out? Better contraception? Having sex and making babies becomes unfashionable? A magic fairy waves a wand and we suddenly stop producing too many babies?
Sadly the answer is no to all of the above, and I say sadly because the answer is that we are going to enter a static population due to a starvation equilibrium.
In other words unless we take drastic action like the Chinese have done (one baby per family and thats it) then we will have to accept that mass starvation and famine will be the norm in order that we can carry on our lives with 'business as usual'.
Its a scarey thought but perhaps reproductive freedom for all is something, like so many others to come, which we will have to sacrifice to save us from ourselves.
As I can't see any possibility of this being successsfully implemented in practice, it'll probably manifest itself through war - one nation or group of nations imposing their ideology on another (same old story).
So war and starvation - sounds great; either that or give up the automatic right to have kids and have everyone agree that this is the best option - yeah, right.
Don't look too good does it?
2007-02-08 10:54:06 · answer #1 · answered by Moebious 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
ShaneM has a good answer. To go back a little further, the human population on earth first reached 1 billion in the year 1850. How many years had elapsed before that I do not know but only 140 years later in 1990 it had reached 5 billion!!! 5 times in only 140 years.
Then only 12 years later in 2002 it was 6 billion. So now we are adding a billion every 12 years although it took all of time to 1850 to reach the first billion. This has to be a problem and I think it will take some major intervention to correct it.
Probably beyond the control of mankind
2007-02-07 22:31:13 · answer #2 · answered by George 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes. The population of the earth has increased by 20% in my lifetime alone from 5 billion to 6 billion. Humanity is closely reaching what is called the "carrying capacity." Simply put the carrying capacity is the maximum number of a specific species of organisms that the environment or ecosystem, or the earth, can support. Once a species crosses over this limit, like mosquitoes in a large jar that scientists have used as an experiment in the past to see what happens once this line is crossed, they quickly all die. It is followed by a population crash. The reasons for this are lack of food or other resources, disease running rampant very easily, and other factors.
2007-02-08 15:52:16 · answer #3 · answered by Professor Armitage 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Without a doubt. I've read that we have doubled the population of the Earth in the last 67 years. That means that we've added as many people to the world in 67 years as we did from that point back to the dawn of time. There's only so much room here. Now, humanity WILL survive, have no doubt, it's just a matter of how the population is reduced. It WILL be reduced, be it voluntarily or by war, famine or disease.
2007-02-07 22:20:52 · answer #4 · answered by Shane M 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you believe Darwin's survival of the species, population growth represents successful species survival of humanity.
If you are a Roman Catholic believer, population growth is not a problem.
Yes, humanity will survive. Yes, population growth will continue. Yes, maldistribution of resources is an economic problem.
2007-02-07 22:21:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, more population = more pollution, faster global warming, much less oxygen (already low at 19.5% Max), more forests being cut down, etc. Population control is needed.
2007-02-07 22:19:54 · answer #6 · answered by garlicjnr2001 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
NO, just a problem for the English. You see, our young couples can't afford to have children because they both have to work to pay the high mortgage. Immigrants get free houses and benefits.
NOT SAYING ANYMORE IN CASE THE POLICE, THE ARMY, THE RAF AND THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT WANT TO DESTROY ME ! BB STYLE
2007-02-07 22:33:53 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes. people live too long now because medical research is finding cures all the time.
most people are cured of diseases today that would have killed others half a century ago.
2007-02-07 22:36:23 · answer #8 · answered by pamela g 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course but dont fear thats why powerful nations dont give aid to undeveloped countries or give medicines to cure disease they are surreptitiously engaging in mass genocide
2007-02-07 23:29:26 · answer #9 · answered by izaakarm 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋