How many people can our planet really support?

The world’s population has been relatively small until very recently. The question of whether the Earth is increasingly becoming overpopulated beyond its capacity or not continues to linger in our mind. Is the power of Earth to sustain and produce subsistence for man superior to the growing population or are the increasing numbers pushing our planet to its limit. According to David Satterthwaite of the International Institute for Environment and Development in UK, London, the power of the earth to sustain huge numbers is far greater than what people think. The real concern should not be about the growing numbers but rather the changing of the ecosystems following our destructive lifestyles, unsustainable resource use and unfriendly technology. Furthermore, although, changes in technology and lifestyle are often wildly unavoidable, it is crucial that we find ways of scaling down our consumption by adopting lifestyles that are more environment-friendly including taking low-carbon developments (Population, 2016).

I strongly agree with the fact that, although the world with more than 11 billion human beings may put some strain on the current resources, however, the way people choose to run their lives and conserve the natural environment is the ultimate determinant of how many people can Earth sustain. It is also crucial to note that the exhaustion of our non-renewable resources, overproduction of greenhouse emissions and disruption of the ecosystem can still take place even in a less populated planet. For instance, greenhouse gas emissions are often highest in well-developed countries which are not necessarily overpopulated while developing countries, on the other hand, tend to produce the lowest carbon emissions with the very large population. Hence, reducing birth rates is not the ultimate solution to building a sustainable planet nor a key determinant of how many people can the earth sustain but rather transition to a more environment-friendly technology and lifestyle.

References

Population, M. C. (2016). How Many People Can Our Planet Really Support?. Population Media Center Blog, 2016-3.