Chapter 6, Problem 1CR

To determine

The way in which human population growth has surpassed 7.3 billion and explain the reason why this is important to many environmental scientists. Also, list three factors that account for the rapid growth of the human population over the past 200 years.

Answer to Problem 1CR

The population of humans on the Earth is increasing in a fast rate. In 1920, it was 2 billion and in 1974, another 2 billion is added. After 25 years, another 2 billion is added again and in 2015, it becomes 7.3 billion. The population increase leads to the over consumption of natural resources, expansion of ecological footprint, and degradation of natural capital. The three factors that account for the rapid growth of the human population over the past 200 years include increased food production, expansion of humans, and the sharp drop in death rate.

Explanation of Solution

The population of human in the world was about 2 billion in 1920s. After 50 years, in 1974, an addition of another 2 billion occurs. The third 2 billion was added by 25 years. In 2015, after 16 years, the population of people on the Earth is about 7.3 billion.

The current exponential growth of human population is unsustainable. It is due to the fact that the increase in population causes the over consumption of natural resources of the Earth. As a result, the ecological footprint expands and degrades the natural capital that acts as a supporting system for the lifestyle and economies.

According to demographers, three important factors cause a sudden increase in the population of humans. At first, the increase in food production is caused due to the emergence of early and modern agriculture that occurred about 10,000 years ago. Second, the expansion of humans in all climate zones and habitats of planet is due to the additional technologies and the sharp decrease in death rate with better sanitation and health care along with the development of antibiotics and vaccines to control the infectious diseases.