The world's population has more than doubled in the past fifty years, which has strained natural resources, increased pollution, and harmed many plants and animals. This book examines demography around the world, covering immigration, refugees, urbanization, poverty, trade, and access to water and food. Controversial issues such as eugenics and abortion are also discussed in terms of their impact on population and birth rates, providing readers with various perspectives to critique this complex issue.
October 31, 2011, marked an uneasy milestone for Planet Earth. On this day, the global population surpassed seven billion. What does that mean for a world that, until the nineteenth century, was home to less than one billion people? Experts say it means the planet is in trouble. Some wonder if Earth will even be able to sustain human life at its current rate of growth. Will there be enough food for everyone? Will conflicts over land increase? How will the environment be affected? Can humanity survive the predicted disasters? More than a simple case of running out of space, the population crisis is interwoven with a host of other issues?from climate change and resource management to war, disease, and poverty. Discover how all these factors converge to place an entire planet in crisis mode?and explore what sort of responses that crisis may require.
The world's population has more than doubled in the past fifty years, which has strained natural resources, increased pollution, and harmed many plants and animals. This book examines demography around the world, covering immigration, refugees, urbanization, poverty, trade, and access to water and food. Controversial issues such as eugenics and abortion are also discussed in terms of their impact on population and birth rates, providing readers with various perspectives to critique this complex issue.
For much of its history, human population growth increased at a glacial pace. The demographic rate only soared about 200 years ago, climaxing between the years 1950 and 2000. In that 50-year span, the population grew more than it had in the previous 5,000 years. Though these raw numbers are impressive, they conceal the fact that the growth rate of population topped out in the 1960s and may be negative later this century. The population boom is approaching a population bust, despite the current world population of seven billion people. In On the Cusp, economist Charles Pearson explores the meaning of this population trend from the arc of demographic growth to decline. He reviews Thomas Malthus's famous, but mistaken, 1798 argument that human population would exceed the earth's carrying capacity. That argument has resurfaced, however, in the current environmental era and under the threat of global warming. Analyzing population trends through dual lenses -- demography and economics -- Pearson examines the potential opportunities and challenges of population decline and aging. Aging is almost universal and will accelerate. Mitigating untoward economic effects may require policies to boost fertility (which has plunged), increase immigration, and work longer, harder, and smarter -- as well as undertake pension and health care reform, all of which have hidden costs. The writing is rigorous but not technical, and is complemented by a helpful set of figures and tables. Sharp, bold, and occasionally funny, Pearson's research has thought-provoking implications for future public policies. He ends his analysis with a modestly hopeful conclusion, noting that both the rich and the poor face a new demographic order. General readers and students alike will find On the Cusp an informative and engaging read.
"Population Dynamics in the Modern World: Analyzing the Shifts in Overpopulation" is an insightful and comprehensive exploration of the complex and ever-evolving phenomenon of overpopulation in the contemporary era. This book delves into the contrasting trends of population decline in the Western world and population growth in Africa, with a specific focus on Nigeria, examining the causes, consequences, and potential implications of these demographic shifts. With a meticulous analysis of global population trends and projections, the book provides a solid foundation for understanding the dynamics of overpopulation. It explores the socioeconomic, environmental, and resource pressures associated with population decline in the West, examining factors such as demographic transition, economic influences, and cultural shifts. The book evaluates policy responses, including immigration, social welfare, and family-friendly measures, highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by Western countries. Shifting its focus to Nigeria's population boom, the book investigates the factors driving population growth, such as economic, social, and cultural influences. It explores the implications of rapid population growth on urbanization, employment dynamics, and social services, while also analyzing the efforts made in Nigeria to manage this population boom through family planning, education, and economic development strategies. In addition to examining these specific contexts, the book takes a broader perspective by analyzing the environmental and resource pressures associated with overpopulation. It addresses issues such as resource depletion, pollution, and climate change, and explores sustainable strategies to mitigate these impacts in both Western countries and Nigeria. Furthermore, the book discusses the importance of global cooperation and shared responsibility in tackling overpopulation challenges, emphasizing the need for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and collective action. Through its comprehensive analysis and in-depth exploration, "Population Dynamics in the Modern World" provides valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of overpopulation. It offers policymakers, academics, and individuals a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities posed by changing population dynamics, and highlights the importance of sustainable strategies to navigate these complex issues. With its accessible writing style, the book appeals to a wide range of readers interested in population studies, sociology, environmental studies, and international development. By combining rigorous research, critical analysis, and a global perspective, "Population Dynamics in the Modern World" serves as a thought-provoking and informative resource for those seeking to understand and address the implications of overpopulation in our rapidly changing world.
From the authors of the bestselling The Big Shift, a provocative argument that the global population will soon begin to decline, dramatically reshaping the social, political, and economic landscape. For half a century, statisticians, pundits, and politicians have warned that a burgeoning planetary population will soon overwhelm the earth's resources. But a growing number of experts are sounding a different kind of alarm. Rather than growing exponentially, they argue, the global population is headed for a steep decline. Throughout history, depopulation was the product of catastrophe: ice ages, plagues, the collapse of civilizations. This time, however, we're thinning ourselves deliberately, by choosing to have fewer babies than we need to replace ourselves. In much of the developed and developing world, that decline is already underway, as urbanization, women's empowerment, and waning religiosity lead to smaller and smaller families. In Empty Planet, Ibbitson and Bricker travel from South Florida to Sao Paulo, Seoul to Nairobi, Brussels to Delhi to Beijing, drawing on a wealth of research and firsthand reporting to illustrate the dramatic consequences of this population decline--and to show us why the rest of the developing world will soon join in. They find that a smaller global population will bring with it a number of benefits: fewer workers will command higher wages; good jobs will prompt innovation; the environment will improve; the risk of famine will wane; and falling birthrates in the developing world will bring greater affluence and autonomy for women. But enormous disruption lies ahead, too. We can already see the effects in Europe and parts of Asia, as aging populations and worker shortages weaken the economy and impose crippling demands on healthcare and social security. The United States is well-positioned to successfully navigate these coming demographic shifts--that is, unless growing isolationism and anti-immigrant backlash lead us to close ourselves off just as openness becomes more critical to our survival than ever before. Rigorously researched and deeply compelling, Empty Planet offers a vision of a future that we can no longer prevent--but one that we can shape, if we choose.
The effects of the rapidly expanding human population on the environment and the planet's future is a matter of increasing concern and lively debate. This timely collection of essays discusses some of the most important aspects of the population growth phenomenon and offers potential solutions. Chapters analyse population dynamics, carrying capacity of the environment, water and food supply, effects on tribal societies, and the AIDS pandemic.
The anthrax incidents following the 9/11 terrorist attacks put the spotlight on the nation's public health agencies, placing it under an unprecedented scrutiny that added new dimensions to the complex issues considered in this report. The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century reaffirms the vision of Healthy People 2010, and outlines a systems approach to assuring the nation's health in practice, research, and policy. This approach focuses on joining the unique resources and perspectives of diverse sectors and entities and challenges these groups to work in a concerted, strategic way to promote and protect the public's health. Focusing on diverse partnerships as the framework for public health, the book discusses: The need for a shift from an individual to a population-based approach in practice, research, policy, and community engagement. The status of the governmental public health infrastructure and what needs to be improved, including its interface with the health care delivery system. The roles nongovernment actors, such as academia, business, local communities and the media can play in creating a healthy nation. Providing an accessible analysis, this book will be important to public health policy-makers and practitioners, business and community leaders, health advocates, educators and journalists.
