The Rise in Global Population Growth and its Challenges
The rise in the global population growth presents a myriad of challenges to the world such as global warming, climate change, disease outbreak, and poverty. According to Hugo (2012, p. 56), the number of years it takes for the world population to increase by one billion has hit an all-time low of 12. It is therefore expected that the global population will hit 8.5 billion people by 2030 from the current 7.5 billion (Bruton, Ahlstrom & Si 2014, p. 113). The severity of the aforementioned problems is also set to increase unless specific interventions are taken. Poverty remains one of the biggest problems resulting from the growth in the global population and needs to be prioritized for a more sustainable future. This essay examines the causal relationship between global population and poverty and justifies the need for priority measures to be implemented to fight poverty. Additionally, the essay examines possible solutions to poverty. Essentially, the essay attempts to show that it is possible to combat poverty in the wake of rapid global population growth.
Pressure on Limited Resources and its Impact
Global population growth exerts pressure on the limited resources in the world, and it is probably a matter of time before some of them reach their carrying capacity. The disrupted balance between population growth and resources leads to an increase in the cost of basic necessities since the supply exceeds the demand (Renewable Resources Coalition 2016, p. 94). The purchasing power of people goes down since they are compelled to pay more for the same quantities of goods as before. This defines the inflation rates in the whole world. The scramble for resources also leads to higher rates of unemployment due to fewer job opportunities which denies many people the opportunity to contribute to economic development or even their own well-being (Barnosky, Ehrlich & Hadly 2016, p. 134). Global population growth comes with high dependency ratios since only a small fraction of the population is actively engaged in economic activities to support the rest of the population. Poverty is also a precursor of poor health since people are unable to afford proper healthcare. Furthermore, poverty results in overcrowding conditions and mushrooming of slums, both of which are public health hazards as they lead to disease outbreaks (Barnosky, Ehrlich & Hadly 2016, p. 77). Consequently, when people are affected by poor health, they lose their productivity. This leads to a decline in socio-economic development. Global population growth puts pressure on education resources, hence making it impossible for some people to access education. This leads to a decline in literacy levels. High levels of illiteracy are synonymous with poor living standards, less productivity, among other challenges (Renewable Resources Coalition 2016, p. 190). Poverty is also an impediment to the implementation of environmental conservation policies such as the use of renewable sources of energy. The large population compels people to use whatever means necessary to survive at the expense of the environment. Poverty also fuels the culture of corruption and other societal evils, especially crime and drug abuse, since people do not have stable sources of livelihoods (Barnosky, Ehrlich & Hadly 2016, p. 153). In a nutshell, the effects of poverty are dire and widespread, affecting every aspect of human existence including health, well-being, socio-economic development, and morality among others. This is why poverty should be treated as a matter of great urgency and extreme delicacy.
The Role of Population Control in Sustainable Development
The public domain has been awash with the debate about whether controlling population growth can be a long-term measure for sustainable development. It is difficult to address poverty and other challenges that are propagated by population growth without focusing on the cause, hence the first solution to poverty focuses on population growth control. There is a need to foster planned population growth so as to decrease the incidences of unexpected pregnancies. Unwanted and unexpected pregnancies are a major challenge, especially in developing countries, and lead to explosions in population growth without a corresponding capacity to take care of the needs of the population. To address this challenge, there is a need for initiating better sex education programs, especially in developing countries, to enlighten people on the need to prevent unexpected pregnancies (Renewable Resources Coalition 2016, p. 61). Additionally, access to contraceptives should be prioritized, especially in regions experiencing rapid population growth that is unplanned. If people are encouraged to give birth to only the number of children that they are capable of taking care of, some poverty-related issues such as lack of basic necessities will not be there.
Investment in Production as a Solution to Poverty
Secondly, investment in production is important in the fight against poverty. Poor countries in the world associated with little production and overreliance on imports, which is simply unsustainable, especially with the rapid growth in population. An increase in the rate of production, especially through agriculture and manufacturing, is necessary in creating a balance between population growth and resources. An increase in population should be matched with a corresponding increase in the production of resources. This will ensure that the prices of basic commodities do not go up, thus maintaining the standards of living of people high (Renewable Resources Coalition 2016, p. 142). Governments should leverage the potential of factors of production, especially land, by ensuring that they are efficiently used for productive purposes. Investment in production will also lead to job opportunities and the generation of wealth among populations. People will have ample opportunities to not only share the benefits of development but also contribute to development through actively taking part in income-generating activities (Barnosky, Ehrlich & Hadly 2016, p. 89). Governments should also adequately invest in quaternary sectors of the economy in order to create more wealth-generation opportunities for growing populations.
Promoting Access to Education
Thirdly, investment in more educational opportunities is necessary because a literate population is better prepared to solve both commonplace and complex challenges in their lives. Education empowers people intellectually, socially, economically, and spiritually (Rosling 2012, p. 13). As populations grow, access to education becomes a challenge, hence forcing people into early marriages or child labor, both of which are precedents of poverty. Therefore, there is a need for governments to build more learning institutions to equip people with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to make something out of their lives. This may include making budgetary allocations for free education programs or special aid for those who cannot afford the cost of education (Bruton, Ahlstrom & Si 2014, p. 156). This will guarantee that every individual is exposed to education. An educated population possesses the necessary skills and knowledge to sustain themselves through creativity and innovation. Promoting access to education should also address barriers to education such as lack of basic needs, retrogressive cultures, poor health, and others in order to ensure that all people have access to education.
Environmental Conservation and Climate Change Prevention
Investment in environmental conservation and the prevention of climate change is also central in the fight against poverty. This is because of the pivotal role of the environment in production, wealth generation, and the health of human beings. The increase in population generally strains the environment through pollution and over-exploitation, hence reducing the capacity of the ecosystem to sustain production (Hamilton 2016, p. 26). For instance, the rapid growth of the population in Saudi Arabia has led to overexploitation of oil reserves, hence reducing the level of moisture in the soils. This has contributed to the drought in the UAE and is likely to lead to food shortages, water shortages, and poverty in the long run. It is, therefore, important to support global initiatives in the prevention of climate change, such as the use of green energy, afforestation, efficient utilization of natural resources, proper waste management, among others (Rosling 2012, p. 82). The environment should be protected in order to prevent the emergence of health hazards that could potentially lead to poor health and undermine people’s productivity.
Leadership and Local Innovation for Poverty Alleviation
The fight against poverty can only be won with able and responsible leadership, hence the need to ensure that good leaders are put in charge of public affairs. In the wake of high population growth rates, limited opportunities, and encroaching poverty, leaders should ensure that the correct value system prevails (Barnosky, Ehrlich & Hadly 2016, p. 41). The culture of corruption and impunity that precedes the misuse and unequal distribution of resources should be eradicated. High levels of corruption and impunity have been associated with poor countries and have undermined their objectivity in balancing population growth and resources (Hamilton 2016, p. 64). The design, implementation, and success of anti-poverty policies and initiatives are premised on the kind of leadership that is in place. Leaders should be able to understand the impact of population growth on poverty levels and commit and alleviate them by shepherding key policies. Additionally, world leaders should plan for the population growths in their individual capacities and implement specific policies to cushion the world from the aftermath.
Encouraging local innovation and creativity is pivotal in the fight against poverty. With the rapid rise in population, the number of people who can be absorbed in the job market is increasingly reducing. This means that there is no guarantee of employment even after completing formal training because of the stiff competition for job opportunities. This has amounted to high poverty and unemployment rates. Therefore, encouraging local innovation stimulates the economy and promotes self-sufficiency as people look for alternative ways of earning a living from their skills (Bruton, Ahlstrom & Si 2014, p. 95). Innovation can be encouraged by re-structuring educational curricula to emphasize skill development and critical thinking.
Conclusion
In conclusion, poverty is one of the consequences of global population growth. It should be prioritized because it affects every aspect of human lives. Solutions to poverty include control of population growth, investment in production, promoting access to education, installing responsible and visionary leadership, environmental protection, and climate change prevention.
Reference
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