Human Population Growth

Abstract

Ecological engineering may help us understand the causes of human population growth and impacts on environmental resources. In the coming decades, the survival of humans and the security of environmental resources that support human existence will continue to be threatened by rapid population growth. As we enter the new millennium, stark contrasts are already apparent between the availability of these natural resources and the billions of humans who require them to sustain life. Ecological engineering may help us understand the complexities of the problem and hopefully, may help us devise ways to meet the challenges created by rapid world population growth. To halt the imbalance growing between human population numbers and their essential resources, humans must actively conserve cropland, freshwater, energy, and the other basic environmental resources. There is a critical need to alert the public worldwide to the serious issues of overpopulation and natural resource shortages. Certainly populations in developed countries could contribute to the conservation effort by reducing their high consumption of all resources, especially fossil fuels. Focus is needed on improving food crops, such as developing perennial grains, pest-resistant crops, and improved nutritional makeup of crops.