Human population is growing exponentially. This trend is placing undue pressure on our planet, both on human being and biodiversity. This essay will discuss how overpopulation should be addressed before it causes irreparable harm to the world.
Studies have shown that education is one of the key solutions to rapidly growing population. Sex education and increasing access to contraception for the young and the low-income, especially in developing countries, are likely to produce positive results. The more ones know about safe sex and difficulties caused by having too many children, the less likely they are to have unplanned pregnancies.
Another way to curb population growth is through governments' interference in terms of family planning. For example, when Chinese government introduced the one-child policy in 1979, despite many rejections, this actually made sense at the time. Chinese population was growing dramatically and there were serious concerns over food security. The policy quickly led to a drop in the birth rate and the population stabilized. If other countries consider adopting this regulation, they should also take into account potential risks it may cause in the long term to the economy and the workforce, in order to maintain a sustainable population structure. In other words, as long as governments outline appropriate plans, they are more likely to achieve their goals.
Last but not least, improving living conditions and providing financial support for people who suffer from poverty is crucial. In rural areas, parents tend to produce more offsprings than those in cities, in order to have more hands to help earn a higher income. One feasible method might be to reward families which have two or fewer children with tax benefits or concessions. As we human are more inclined towards money, this may result in considerable improvement.
Overpopulation is a global threat that requires sustainable solutions. Increasing access to education, establishing coherent and systematic policies and giving financial incentives for all are some of the ways to control the amount of procreation in the world. Every individual needs to be aware of the issue of overpopulation and take actions with others to overcome this challenge.