Overpopulation

In 1999 the world population surpassed 6 billion people and, as it continues to grow, the earth is becoming increasingly unable to support the needs and habits of the people who occupy it.   Usually, the countries least able to support a growing population are the ones with the highest birth rates.   These developing countries will account for 95 percent of the world’s population increase in the period between 1990 and 2025 while the developed countries’ share will decrease from 33.1 percent to 15.9 percent between 1950 and 2025 (Ehrlich).   Our world’s high rate of population growth is limiting the availability of water, restricting the amount of food per capita in developing countries, making woodlands and ecosystems extremely vulnerable and over-exploited, and increasing the rate of atmospheric pollution which is causing a global climate change.
Water is a basic element of life, and it is needed to maintain the balance of every ecosystem and habitat.   Water functions as a cooling agent and cleanser to the environment and is used by plants and animals to carry out vital functions.   As the human population increases, so does the consumption of water.   In the past fifty years, the per capita availability of fresh water has decreased by one third (Stancheva).   The fresh water supply is a problem in most of the developing countries, especially those located in arid climates such as in Africa, South America and Asia.   Unfortunately, between 1950 and 2025, Africa’s share of the population will experience an increase from 8.9 percent to 18.8 percent of the world’s population, Latin America from 6.6 percent to 8.9 percent, and Asia from 54.7 percent to 57.8 percent (Ehrlich).   These countries will be facing a catastrophe by 2025 if something is not done because the current water supply cannot support the needs of the increasing population.   Therefore, dehydration and death will run rampant in these countries as a natural check until either their populations stabilize or...