Other demographic dynamics, including changes in population flows and densities, can also pose challenging environmental problems. Humans have sought to understand the relationship between population dynamics and the environment since the earliest times 1, 2, but it was thomas malthus essay on the principle of population in 1798 that is credited with launching the study of population and resources as a scientific topic of inquiry. There is much controversy surrounding the poverty environmental degradation nexus. Population is growing rapidly, far outpacing the ability of our planet to support it, given current practices. It is relevant to note that this paper has focussed only on land degradation. While population growth and density are associated with increased risks, the effects of land degradation and water scarcity are weak, negligible or insignificant. Environmental degradation and population growth conditions in malawi were used to illustrate the model of environmental degradation linked to population pressure on land resources and government. The role of environmental degradation in population displacement1. For example, haitis napa states that population growth is an important factor of pressure on the environment, and population pressure is directly linked to deforestation in the napas of sierra leone, solomon islands.
Population impacts on the environment primarily through the use of natural. The findings imply that as pressure from people and livestock exceeds some threshold, a rapid degradation of land take place. Global concerns the impact of human activity on the natural resources. Malthus viewed population increase to cause declines in agricultural output and impoverishment of land resources. Population pressure an overview sciencedirect topics. Impact of population growth on environmental degradation. Land degradation is a major problem in many areas of tanzania.
The growing population and the environmental deterioration face the challenge of. It has energy and environmental characteristics of global importance and. Deforestation and forest degradation as an environmental behavior. Unpacking realities shaping community actions lalisa a. Previous studies on this relationship have primarily focused on the impact of population growth on the environment, while the impact of the environment on population has. In this unique situation, environmental degradation is a specific instance of utilization or generation externalities reflected by uniqueness amongst private and social. Another study with a focus on the role of markets has shown that market forces and government subsidies or lack thereof can have environmental impacts 5. Environmental degradation and population growth conditions in malawi were used to illustrate the model of environmental degradation linked to population pressure on land resources and government development strategies that favored largescale agricultural farms. Population is an important source of development, yet it is a major source of environmental degradation when it exceeds the threshold limits of the support systems. The ipat equation, first devised in the 1970s, is a way of determining environmental degradation based on a multiple of factors. According to the neomalthusian conflict scenario, population pressure on natural ren.
The linkages between land degradation, poverty and social. The linkages between land degradation, poverty and social capital in uganda. These concerns are linked to overuse or misuse of the natural resources base. This therefore, illustrates a firm interlocking between underproduction, food insecurity, environmental degradation and population pressure in the region complying largely with the malthusian interpretations. A typology of population pressure on resources in west africa. May 12, 2010 it goes on to describe government strategies to improve settlements and human welfare. Population growth and environmental degradation in malawi.
Because the dependent variable is categorical and ordinal, an ordinal cumulative logit model was chosen for the analysis. Some fear environmental degradation will produce waves of. The predominant school of thought argues that poverty is a major cause of environmental degradation and if policy makers want to address the environmental issues, then they must first address the poverty problem. It contains 11sectoral and another 11 crosssectoral policy elements. Ultimate versus proximate factors volume 16 issue 3 r. Population pressure driven overexploitation of the surface and underground water resources by the poor has resulted into contamination and exhaustion of the water resources. Often it has been gained at the expense of longterm human health status and environmental assets, and sometimes with an increase in social inequity. Environmental degradation and the development process from a broader development perspective, environmental degradation appears as a proximate cause of migration. Climate change, environmental degradation and armed. Demography and political economy, in other words, are the most salient.
Objective the objective of this paper is to assess the effect, relationship and situation analysis scenario on population growth and environmental degradation in ethiopia. If you plot this equation, you see a curve arching upward over time as the population increases exponentially, assuming no change in the rate. As indicated by the ipat equation, environmental impact i or. Introduction there is an increasing recognition of the linkages between rapid population increase and the quality of the environment. During the last few decades, ethiopia has experienced massive environmental degradation due to natural factors, unwise use of its natural resources, unsound ecological practices and population pressure. Population increased very fast in the post independence period and it. The major causes of the environmental degradation are modern urbanization, industrialization, overpopulation growth, deforestation etc. The relationship between population growth, resource depletion and environmental degradation has been a matter of debate for decades. National academy of sciences, national academy of engineering, and institute of medicine.
The relationship between population and the environment is a significant issue due to its impact on chances for achieving sustainable development, especially in developing countries. Human population as a dynamic factor in environmental degradation. Three countries china, india and the usa accounts for 40 percent of the world population. Aug 16, 2008 population growth and environmental degradation. Interaction between population and environmental degradation core. Desertification has been defined as land degradation in arid, semiarid, and dry subhumid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities11.
Hunter concludes that population dynamics have important environmental implications but that the sheer size of population represents only one important variable in this complex relationship. Rapid population growth and environmental degradation. It addresses some of the most important factors assumed to be strongly influenced by global warming. Paul shaw skip to main content accessibility help we use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a. Industrial advancements, land and soil degradation, global warming, climate change, air and water pollution, deforestation, physical. What are environmental problems due to population growth. Environmental degradation, to a large scale, is the result of market failure, namely the nonexistent or poorly functioning markets for environmental goods and services. Causes and consequences article pdf available in european researcher 8182. I urbanization and environmental degradation in jordan david l. The major causes of the environmental degradation are modern urbanization, industrialization, over population growth, deforestation etc. Michelsen institute t he environmental refugee has appeared in the literature on environment and security, and with it the refugee as both a cause and victim of conflict. Environmental degradation can be seen in local and global effects.
What are causes and effects of environmental degradation. Population pressure, agricultural change and environmental degradation in the western himalayan region of india article pdf available in forum for development studies 252 january 1998 with. Efforts to counteract this problem include environmental protection and environmental resources management. Population pressure, environmental degradation, and armed conflict revisited article pdf available in journal of peace research 424. It could reach 8 billion by 2025, 9 billion by 2040, and a whopping 11 billion by 2100. Population summit of the worlds scientific academies.
Causes and impacts of land degradation and desertification. Rapid population growth and environmental degradation in. The underlying causes are found in increasing population pressures on land and the patterns of resource use. This often causes overexploitation of the natural resources, and contributes to environmental erosion. Population pressure driven overexploitation of the surface and underground water resources by the poor has resulted into contamination. The impact of population on environmental degradation in south. However, the recent experience is that the pace of environmental degradation is faster in developing countries than in developed countries. Population pressure contributes to land degradation and soil erosion, thus affecting productive resource base of the economy.
Portney expects localities and international organizations to play a larger role. To this end, the study seeks to assess the impact of population pressure on indias. The pressure of population on land has increased at a high speed. Two billion people have been added in the last 25 years and the world population has moved from 5.
Four theories of population change and the environment. Pdf population growth and environmental degradation. Theoretical accounts on the population environment link. Brazil is an ideal candidate to represent the construction of a countrys profile on the relationship between economic development and environmental degradation. The process of population induced technological change is by no means automatic. One of the primary causes of environmental degradation in a country can be attributed to rapid growth of population, which adversely affects the natural resources and environment. Higgitt encyclopedia of life support systems eolss 352 countries are, at the present time. And we suggest that two inherent characteristics of institutionslimitation and biasare responsible. The main reasons responsible for environmental degradation are as follows. Paul shaw skip to main content accessibility help we use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites.
When natural habitats are destroyed or natural resources are depleted, the environment is degraded. The relation between population and environmental degradation is often considered straightforward. Impoverishment, population, and environmental degradation. Mahatma gandhis principle of enoughness in his saying the earth provides enough to satisfy every persons need but not for every persons greed. Population in india has been regarded as not only the root cause of many of our economic problems but has also severely affected the environmental conditions in india. The environmental policy of ethiopia epe, was launched in 1997. The above mention fact indicates that in the northern plain main cause of environmental degradation is rapid growth of population that puts severe pressure on natural resources. There are many examples of environmental degradation throughout the world. Higgitt encyclopedia of life support systems eolss 354 particularly within the last five decades, making jordan a classic example of primacy with an overconcentration of population, economic activity and services in the urban core. Overpopulation is associated with negative environmental and economic. Yet the world bank views population pressure as a major hindrance to economic development and a cause of. Population growth and environmental degradation population is an important source of development, yet it is a major source of environmental degradation when it exceeds the threshold limits of the support systems.
Population pressure and cpr conservation the link between population pressure and cprs could be traced back to malthus1 in 1798 who argued that there are diminishing returns to additional labour to land wilber, 1978. Demographic and environmental factors have claimed a dominant position in the postcold war security discourse. It is defined as any change or disturbance to the environment perceived to be deleterious or undesirable. Environmental economics in the department of agricultural economics, extension and rural development. The effect of population growth on the environment. At its simplest, it describes how human impact on the environment i is a result of a multiplicative contribution of population p, affluence a and technology t. Because the linkage is unclear, it seems premature to conclude that curbing population growth is the only or most important remedy for land degradation. As the human population keeps on enlarging, there is a lot of pressure on the utilization of natural resources. Environmental pollution refers to the degradation of quality and quantity of natural resources. On the contrary, resourceoptimists concede that agricultural land scarcity caused by high population. In the region as a whole, however, population growth rates have declined in recent years.
Assessment of linkages between population dynamics and. The increasing population numbers and growing affluence have resulted in rapid growth of energy production and consumption in india. Impacts of population pressure and poverty alleviation. Evidence about environmental degradation the evidence is wellsummarized by article by fprestong. As population pressure is one of the key drivers of environmental degradation and poverty, the chapters authors write, the implementation of the population policy, especially aspects that address high fertility rates, gender and reproductive. A rapidly growing population exerts pressure on agricultural land and raises demand for food and shelter which encourages the conversion of forest land for agricultural and residential uses, now we know that growing population is a major cause of air, water, and solid waste pollution. One of the main causes of environmental degradation is population explosion or rapid growth of population. Unesco eolss sample chapters human settlement development vol. It may be that population change plays a more conclusive role in affecting other aspects of the environment. Population pressure, agricultural intensification and changes in rural systems in bangladesh. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of. The pressure of over population is much higher in the greater plain of india having 33% of the total population of india. Available formats pdf please select a format to send.
Faster population growth in developing countries, changing age structures, increasing oldage dependency ratios and the pressure on jobs and livelihoods have severely strained vulnerable sections of the population. According to the neomalthusian conflict scenario, population pressure on natural renewable resources makes societies more prone to lowintensity civil war. Population pressure, agricultural change and environmental. A symposium on population pressures upon physical and social resources in the developing lands, pp. Aug 31, 2018 the current population of the earth is over 7. Environmental degradation, migration and conflict astri suhrke chr. Urbanization and environmental degradation in jordan. Meaning and relation population growth is the main cause of the socioeconomic problem including environmental degradation, pollution, desertification, deforestation, intensive cultivation, over utilization of grazing and other environmental problems. Unless the relationship between the multiplying population and the life support system can be stabilized, development programs, howsoever, innovative are not likely to yield. Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil. The interplay between population growth, resource depletion, and environmental degradation has been a matter of debate for decades. Poverty, environmental degradation and sustainable. The environmental effects like ground water and surface.
Malawis only resources are its people and fertile soil, which comprises about 55 % of land area. Unless the relationship between the multiplying population and the life support system can be stabilized, development programs, howsoever, innovative are not likely to yield desired results. More people should have a greater impact on the environment, if all other factors such as per capita consumption remain unchanged. Mahatma gandhis principle of enoughness in his saying the earth provides enough to satisfy every persons need but not for every persons.
The relationship between population and the environment. Growth of population in india and its impact on natural. Population pressure, environmental degradation, and armed conflict revisited henrik urdal, 2005. The formula for exponential population growth is nn 0 e rt where n 0 is the starting population, e is a logarithmic constant 2. Thats more than seven billion three hundred million bodies that need to be fed, clothed, kept warm and ideally, nurtured and educated. Deforestation and forest degradation as an environmental.