underdeveloped countries.
excessive use of energy resources by the affluent society is the root cause of current environment problems. Overpopulation, especially in developing countries, is considered a principal factor for environmental problems. This fact is already evident in many global statistics. For instance, according to records more than one billion people are suffering from starvation and clean water is inaccessible to even more people. Also, basic sanitation is a problem for almost 2.6 billion people across the globe (Kuo, 24). While most developed countries keep fertility rates lower than replacement, the same is not true in the case of underdeveloped countries. Such high population growth will exert extreme pressure on the environment with the increasing pollution, global warming, deforestation, and damage to fisheries and fertile soil. The UN prediction of 8.9 billion people by 2050 is a cause of major alarm, especially in underdeveloped countries. However, this is an optimistic figure since the current annual rate of population growth which is 1.3% indicates that by 2050 the population will reach 12 billion (Cassils, 174).
Although overpopulation is considered as having an adverse effect on the environment, it is actually related to issues like poverty, affluence lifestyle, and economic disparities that are more directly responsible. This is what has been explained by the I=P.A.T equation. It indicates that environmental impact (I) is caused by incessant growth of population (P) multiplied by affluent lifestyle (A) of specific societies causing the increase of per capita consumption of energy which is further attributed to technological developments (T) which can cause a greater consumption of energy or can lead to reduced consumption by better management of natural resources (Forsyth, 44). The population is a major element in this equation, although not the only one. The economic condition of an individual is a vital factor.
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