Population control policies

Population explosion is defined as a condition where the number of living beings in a habitat exceeds the holding capacity of the habitat [Kennedy K, 1997]. Similar to a bowl containing water overflowing when the number of droplets of water exceeds the capacity of the bowl. Population explosion caused especially due to the increase in number of human lives results in numerous problems to the society. Population explosion in general refers the relationship between the number of human beings and the environment. Population explosion is caused exclusively because of the interrelationship that exists between population and environment.

Overpopulation a global issue

The greatest issue in the eyes of the world today is overpopulation. Overpopulation will lead to the increase in demands of the people which in turn causes the deprive of environmental resources. Clarke has defined population as the aggregate of people residing within an administrative area or geographic area. It is mainly caused because of the strong interrelationship between the two factors, environment and the number of people [Clarke J, 1995]. Too much of anything is good for nothing is an old saying. As the saying goes the increase in number of human beings on the earth to a great extent will adversely affect the existing human beings too causing a total chaos to the globe.

Policies to control overpopulation

The world is a composition of people belonging to varied ethnicity, culture, habits and behavior [Livescience, Website]. However the issues faced by the nations worldwide are almost common and same. Population explosion is a global issue. Every government is trying to implement certain policies to control overpopulation. For example the government of China has a policy by name one child policy which restricts the number of children for an urban couple to one [Eager P ,2004]. The Indian government on the other hand has a family planning policy which restricts child birth in rural areas and encourages people to undergo family planning operation by offering them some incentives on doing the same. Likewise the US government has legalized abortion and has educated its people in order to create awareness towards overpopulation and measures to control the same. Every government is putting the best of its efforts to work against population explosion and save the globe by introducing a new policy and regulation each and every day.

Will they succeed?

The societal and biological factors being two prominent factors in promoting reproduction and creating overpopulation. It is the responsibility of the individual to realize the importance of population control by effectively adapting the policies introduced by the government to sustain in this world. Sustainability is not only defined as the process of efficient use of existing resources but also the preservation of the same for the future generations to use them [Clayton A, 1996]. The government is introducing various policies to control overpopulation. However, the real successes of these policies lie in the hands of an individual person. It is therefore the prime responsibility of  that person to implement these policies efficiently.

References

• Kennedy K, ’Population Growth and Society’, 1997
• Clarke, J 1995, ‘Population and the environment: complex interrelationships’, in B Cartledge (ed.), Population and the environment: the Linacre lectures 1993–4, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 6–31.
• LiveScience, Available at http://www.livescience.com/reproduction/ Accessed on 2nd of January 2010.
• Eager P, Global population policy: from population control to reproductive rights, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2004
• Anthony Clayton, Sustainability: a systems approach, Earthscan,1996