Population Growth and Environmental Changes: Conclusions Drawn from the Contradictory Experiences of Developing Countries

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

This review was intended to explore the interplays between environmental change and rapid population growth in developing countries. In the course of discussion, the impacts of rapidly growing population on the environment have been discussed, and evidence, from various parts of the world has been traced. We have surveyed a wide array of literature with an emphasis from the past decades and focused on the population-environment research. Indeed, the most salient findings depicting global trends in population, energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, or land area deforested has often been used to demonstrate the impact that population has on the environment. It also revealed that all across the developing countries, farm size is shrinking as farmers continue to subdivide holdings among their children. In countries such as Malawi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Haiti, Nepal and Bangladesh, population growth rates are high, and the non-farm sector is still in its early stages of development. Demographic pressure, land scarcity, and land fragmentation drive greater rural vulnerability and poverty, marked by decreased food security, inadequate response to such natural disasters such as drought or pest infestations, weakened resilience to shocks, and poor health. It is not just the supply of food, fodder, and fuel wood but the resource base itself and the lives that depend upon it are being affected. Most of developing country has a comparatively high land/population ratio, but appears to be particularly vulnerable to problems induced by population growth. Smallholders are experiencing problems in gaining access to land due to serious completion on the resource. The evidences pinpoints that man through his non-sustainable production and consumption patterns, is placed at the heart of environmental changes. However, contradictory views, and practices are also in place that the population growth has positive impacts environmental restoration and improvements, while other evidences show insignificant effect of population on the environment. This contradicting scenario puts scholars in argument, and still need further research. However, the policy makers should start looking into measures to population growth unless one can only foresee Malthusian laws taking in charge of current situation in developing countries.