The Overpopulation Problem In The Future (2050)

Summary

This video delves into the concept of overpopulation, clarifying it as a situation where the human population exceeds Earth's carrying capacity, not just its physical space. It traces the population growth from 1800 to 2020, highlighting a staggering increase from 1 billion to 7.7 billion. The script explores historical factors like the Industrial Revolution and post-WWII 'Baby Boom' contributing to this surge. It underscores current challenges like deforestation, habitat loss, desertification, and resource depletion, warning of the urgent need for sustainable practices to support our growing population without further damaging the planet.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Overpopulation is defined as a condition where the human population exceeds Earth's carrying capacity, meaning the planet cannot support the current population in terms of space and resources.
• 📈 The world population has seen a dramatic increase from around 1 billion in 1800 to approximately 7.7 billion in 2019, indicating a significant strain on resources.
• 🏭 The Industrial Revolution played a pivotal role in population growth by improving living conditions, medical care, and economic opportunities, which in turn reduced mortality rates.
• 🌱 Deforestation, especially in critical ecosystems like the Amazon Rainforest, is a direct consequence of overpopulation, leading to habitat loss for many species and contributing to climate change.
• 🐘 The loss of biodiversity due to human expansion is alarming, with many animal species becoming endangered or extinct as their natural habitats are destroyed for human use.
• 🏜 Desertification is a growing concern, turning once fertile lands into barren deserts, which is exacerbated by overpopulation and its demands for space and resources.
• 🏠 The demand for housing and living space is increasing with the growing population, leading to urban sprawl and the encroachment on natural landscapes and wildlife habitats.
• 🌾 Food security is becoming a pressing issue as climate change and the need to allocate more land for housing and industry reduce the availability of arable land for agriculture.
• 🚮 The generation of waste, particularly non-biodegradable materials like plastics, is escalating with population growth, leading to pollution in oceans and landfills.
• ♻️ While population growth is slowing, the cumulative impact of over 7.7 billion people requires immediate attention to sustainable practices to mitigate the effects of overpopulation on the planet.

Q & A

What is the definition of overpopulation according to the script?

Overpopulation is defined as an undesirable condition where the number of existing human beings exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth, meaning the Earth cannot support its population in terms of space and resources available.

How has the world's population changed from 1800 to 2020?

The world's population saw a significant increase from around 1 billion in 1800 to approximately 7.7 billion by 2019, with a notable spike in population growth at certain points during this period.

What role did the Industrial Revolution play in population growth?

The Industrial Revolution, which started in the 1760s and lasted until the mid-1800s, contributed to population growth by providing more working opportunities, mass production of goods, and slightly better medicines, which improved living conditions and reduced mortality rates.

Why did the population stabilize in the UK and other nations for a while?

The population in the UK and other nations stabilized for a while due to improved living conditions, which led to a decrease in the number of children born and dying, as families found it easier to take care of fewer children.

What is the '4th Stage of Development' in terms of population growth mentioned in the script?

The '4th Stage of Development' refers to a phase in population growth where the population growth rate slows down or even stops, as seen in many modern countries where living conditions have improved and birth rates have decreased.

How does deforestation contribute to overpopulation issues?

Deforestation contributes to overpopulation issues by reducing the Earth's capacity to support its population, as trees are essential for producing oxygen, providing habitat for animals, and maintaining ecological balance. The loss of trees due to human expansion and resource consumption exacerbates the challenges of supporting a large population.

What are the consequences of habitat destruction for animal species?

Habitat destruction, often a result of human expansion and resource consumption, leads to many animal species becoming endangered or extinct, as they are forced to either adapt to new locations or face extinction due to the loss of their natural habitats.

How does overpopulation affect living space and urban growth?

Overpopulation leads to increased demand for living space, which in turn drives urban growth and expansion. This can result in the development of previously unoccupied or protected lands, potentially leading to further environmental degradation and loss of natural habitats.

What is the impact of overpopulation on food supply and costs?

Overpopulation can strain food supply as the demand for food increases with the growing population. This, combined with factors such as climate change and natural disasters affecting crop growth, can lead to food shortages and increased food costs.

How does the script address the issue of waste management in relation to overpopulation?

The script highlights that overpopulation contributes to the waste management crisis, with increasing amounts of trash, including non-recyclable materials like plastics, accumulating in landfills and the natural environment. This growing waste problem affects both human health and the planet's ecosystems.

What is the script's perspective on the future of the world's population by 2050?

The script suggests that while the world's population may not grow to extreme levels predicted by some, the rapid growth over the past 220 years has already put significant strain on the planet's resources and capacity to support its inhabitants, indicating a need for action to address the challenges of overpopulation.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Understanding Overpopulation and Its Impact

This paragraph introduces the concept of overpopulation, emphasizing that it's not just about the number of people on Earth but rather the ability of the planet to support its inhabitants. It challenges the misconception that Earth's 'capacity' refers to physical space, clarifying that it's about the availability of resources. The paragraph warns of the dire consequences if overpopulation continues unchecked, particularly by 2050. Historical population growth is discussed, highlighting a significant increase from 1 billion in 1800 to 7.7 billion by 2019, with a particular focus on the rapid growth in China and India. The paragraph concludes with a call to action, urging viewers to like and subscribe for more content on the topic.

05:05

📈 Historical Population Growth and Its Drivers

Paragraph 2 delves into the historical factors that have influenced population growth. It discusses the challenges of the 18th century, such as limited medical knowledge and high mortality rates, which kept the population in check. The Industrial Revolution is highlighted as a turning point, with improvements in medicine, living conditions, and job opportunities contributing to population growth. The paragraph explains how the population explosion from 1750-1850 led to a stabilization period as families had fewer children due to improved survival rates. However, it also points out that even this slower growth, when multiplied across the globe, resulted in a significant increase in population. The paragraph also touches on post-World War II 'Baby Booms' and the current trend of stunted population growth, suggesting that while population growth may be slowing, the existing population still exerts pressure on Earth's resources.

10:06

🌳 Environmental and Societal Consequences of Overpopulation

Paragraph 3 addresses the environmental and societal impacts of overpopulation. It discusses deforestation, particularly the Amazon Rainforest, and its effects on oxygen production and biodiversity. The paragraph also covers the issues of endangered species and habitat destruction due to human expansion. Desertification is mentioned as a consequence of environmental imbalance, with historical examples provided. The discussion then shifts to human living conditions, including housing shortages and urban expansion, which are exacerbated by population growth. The paragraph also touches on food supply challenges due to climate change and natural disasters, and the increasing problem of waste management. The conclusion emphasizes that while population growth may level off, the existing population's needs continue to strain the planet's resources, leading to a call for action to address these challenges.

Keywords

💡Overpopulation

Overpopulation refers to a situation where the number of people in a particular environment exceeds the carrying capacity of that environment, meaning it cannot sustain the population in terms of resources and space. In the video, overpopulation is discussed as a critical issue that could lead to severe consequences for the planet by 2050, such as resource depletion and environmental degradation.

💡Carrying Capacity

The carrying capacity is the maximum population size of a particular species that an environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment. The video emphasizes that Earth's carrying capacity is not just about space but more importantly about the ability to support the population with necessary resources, which is being strained by overpopulation.

💡Population Growth

Population growth refers to the increase in the number of individuals in a population over a certain period. The video script highlights the exponential growth of the human population from 1800 to 2020, illustrating how this rapid increase puts pressure on resources and the environment, contributing to overpopulation concerns.

💡Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution, which began in the 1760s and lasted until the mid-1800s, was a period during which agrarian societies became industrial ones. The video mentions that this era brought about better living conditions, improved medicine, and increased job opportunities, which in turn led to a population boom as survival rates improved and families had fewer children who were more likely to reach adulthood.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation is the removal of trees and forests, often to make way for agriculture, urban development, or other human activities. The video discusses deforestation as a significant consequence of overpopulation, where the demand for resources like paper and land leads to the destruction of habitats and contributes to climate change.

💡Ecosystems

Ecosystems are complex networks of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment. The video script points out that overpopulation disrupts ecosystems by destroying habitats, leading to the endangerment or extinction of species, as the natural balance is compromised to accommodate human needs.

💡Desertification

Desertification is the process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agricultural practices. The video uses desertification as an example of how overpopulation can lead to the degradation of land, turning once fertile areas into barren landscapes that can no longer support life.

💡Living Space

Living space refers to the area or accommodation where people live. The video script addresses the issue of living space becoming increasingly scarce due to overpopulation, leading to urban expansion and the encroachment on natural habitats, which can exacerbate housing shortages and environmental degradation.

💡Food Supply

Food supply encompasses the production, distribution, and availability of food. The video discusses how overpopulation can strain the food supply, as increasing numbers of people require more food, which can lead to higher costs and potential shortages, especially in the face of climate change and environmental challenges.

💡Trash and Pollution

Trash and pollution refer to waste materials and contaminants that can harm the environment and living organisms. The video highlights the growing problem of trash, including plastic waste in oceans and landfills, as a result of overpopulation. The script emphasizes that the increasing amount of waste generated by a larger population is harmful to both humans and wildlife.

Highlights

Overpopulation is defined as a condition where the human population exceeds Earth's carrying capacity, meaning the planet cannot support the current population in terms of space and resources.

The Earth's population has seen a dramatic increase from 1 billion in 1800 to 7.7 billion by 2019.

The Industrial Revolution played a pivotal role in population growth by improving living conditions, medicine, and economic opportunities.

The population growth rate has slowed in recent years, with some countries reaching a '4th Stage of Development' where growth is minimal.

Deforestation, including the Amazon Rainforest, is a critical issue exacerbated by overpopulation, leading to habitat loss and contributing to climate change.

Overpopulation is causing living space issues, with urban areas expanding and natural habitats being converted into residential and commercial spaces.

Food supply is being affected by climate change, which is partly a consequence of overpopulation and its demands on agriculture.

The increase in trash and lack of effective recycling practices are environmental issues directly related to overpopulation.

The video suggests that while population growth may stabilize, the current population's needs are still a challenge for the planet's resources.

Efforts to improve conditions in third-world countries are mentioned as a way to potentially reduce the strain on global resources.

The historical context of population growth is explored, showing how advances in medicine and technology contributed to the increase.

The 'Baby Boom' period post-World War II is highlighted as an example of a significant population spike due to social and economic factors.

Desertification is discussed as a consequence of overpopulation, where fertile land turns into barren deserts, affecting ecosystems and agriculture.

The impact of overpopulation on animal species, including endangerment and extinction, is emphasized due to habitat destruction.

The video concludes with a call to action, encouraging viewers to consider the real implications of overpopulation and potential solutions.

Transcripts

From what overpopulation really means, to how it'll affect our planet, to what it'll

be like in 30 years, join me as we explore the overpopulation problem via 2050.

The word "overpopulation' gets thrown around quite a lot, but do you honestly understand

what it means, and what it implies?

Here is the definition of the word: "Overpopulation is an undesirable condition

where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth."

Now, this is where it gets a bit twisted.

Because many people think that "capacity of Earth" simply means that the planet cannot

contain all the people that live on it, but that's the literal definition, but not what

it means to say.

The "capacity of Earth" is rather meant to insinuate that the Earth is not able to SUPPORT

its population.

As in, the space and resources available cannot facilitate the population that we have right

now.

So because of that true definition, people think we don't have to worry about such a

thing, because while our population is without a doubt growing, it couldn't possibly be growing

at a rate that would cripple the planet, right?

Wrong, very much so wrong.

So wrong that if not fixed, by 2050, our world could be seriously screwed in all the ways

that matter.

If you're looking for a true number to prove how bad overpopulation is getting in terms

of our current situation, then let's look at the last 220 years.

You would think that given this was a roughly small period of time in the grand scheme of

things that we would have a slow building of a population.

But you would be wrong.

If you go from 1800 to 2020 you'll see a HUGE spike in the population at certain points.

Case in point, in 1800, our population was roughly 1 billion.

In 2020, there are one billion people in the countries of China AND India alone!

And as of 2019 (as the 2020 census hasn't been done at the time of this video) the Earth's

population is roughly 7.7 BILLION people!

Which means that in the course of 200+ years, we've added nearly 7 billion people to the

worlds' population.

Go humanity!

But that does beg the question, how did we go from such a small population, to such a

big one?

And will it happen to us again to where we literally can't fill the planet with the people

that we have?

Before we answer that, be sure to like the video and subscribe to the channel, that way

you don't miss any of our weekly videos!

A big thing you have to understand about the world is that we honestly go through phases

of life.

And if you look through the history of the world, you'll see exactly what I mean.

For example, in the 18th century, most civilized nations (that were "modern" at the time) weren't

ones that were exactly...booming in population.

After all, medicine was very much not a science at this point, there were all kinds of diseases

killing people, and of course, there were divides in the people.

When add all this together, what do you get?

You get a population that TRIED to grow, but couldn't because of all the various ways you

could die.

On average, women in that era would birth about 6 children, which is a very large family

in today's standards, but the fact of the matter is that only about 2 of them were projected

to actually make it into adulthood.

And in fact, that was a big reason why the population was under 1 billion by 1800.

There were people dying left and right because in many ways...we couldn't stop it, and that

didn't change for a while.

Not even with the birth of the United States in the late 1700's.

The Industrial Revolution was one of the first things to truly help change things.

It started in the 1760's and lasted until about the mid 1800's.

With that, there was a lot more working opportunities, mass production of goods that everyone could

buy, and there were slightly better medicines.

Not perfect medicines mind you, but better than what they had at the time.

Furthermore, the roles of both men and women grew, including female workers of all kinds,

which would eventually lead to them getting the equal rights they deserved, but that was

a little bit later.

The point here is that the conditions of the world grew because of the advance in technology.

There were still poor, but less than before.

And just as important, the living conditions of the world improved drastically.

Which meant that while people still died, it wasn't as big a factor in the stunting

population as before.

A great example of this was the UK.

From 1750-1850 the population of the nation went from 6 million to 15 million.

That's a multiplier of 2.5!

And all because the food, medicine, and living conditions of their world got better.

As noted, the child rate of families used to be huge because many of them weren't expected

to live.

But once they did, people started having fewer children because it was just easier to take

care of 1-2-3 kids instead of 4-5-6 children.

And thus, the population size stabilized in the UK and other nations for a while because

fewer children were being born and dying.

"But wait a minute!" you cry out, "If the population was balanced, doesn't that mean

that the world population should've only slowly grown instead of spiking like it has?"

And to an extent, yeah, you're right.

But you're forgetting some key factors.

Key among them was that during that explosion of human growth from 1750-1850 (just to give

an example) the kids that were born in that era later gave birth to their own children.

And even if they only had 2-3 kids, that's still growing.

But even then, it's a rate much slower than before.

The other thing you need to remember is that we were looking at just the UK in their growth

in population.

Now, calculate that boom in population across all the countries of the world, and certain

"growth periods" of life.

That's a lot of people being born in a period of time, and not a lot of death because of

the better conditions.

That's 195 countries (as of today) getting a much bigger population.

And then, there are events that encourage the birth of more children, like in the United

States after World War II.

The "Baby Boom" happened because men and women were tired of war and wanted to have families

to have a happier life.

Thus, many children were born, and this happened in other countries as well.

The good news is though that while we have spiked in certain areas, especially 1940-2020,

our population growth is actually...sputtering.

There are all sorts of nations across the world that have hit what we call the "4th

Stage of Development" in terms of population growth.

Thus, if you look at the last few years, we've only grown slightly in worldwide population,

and some speculate that by say 2050...we won't have growth at all.

Or, it'll be so small that it won't matter.

This is backed up by the conditions of the world, and the various organizations that

are trying to help 3rd world countries in building themselves up so that they can have

the living conditions that many modern countries have.

And some are going so far as to say that the population of the Earth will never hit certain

numbers, including 12 billion residents on one planet.

So...that's it, right?

That's the end of it, right?

Because if the population hits a stunted growth, then we can't be "at capacity" of the planet.

Thus we don't have to worry about overpopulation as a whole, right?

Wrong.

You see, while it's true that our population will never reach certain numbers, as we outlined

earlier in the video, that won't matter if our planet can't support us on the grand scale.

After all, while our population growth has stunted largely, we still have about 7.7 billion

people to care for, which means we need resources roughly for that amount of people.

And that's not easy, what's worse, because of our expansion in the world today, we're

cutting down more and more resources and not replacing them to facilitate the balance we

need in order to survive.

Let's look at the most obvious one, trees.

Trees are without a doubt one of the most important things in our world, it's not even

close at times in regards to all that they do.

On one hand, they're one of our biggest producers of oxygen, as the massive trees taken in Carbon

Dioxide and give us oxygen to breathe.

We NEED trees to live, that's undisputed.

However, trees also have bark, which is used in a wide variety of products, not the least

of which is paper.

And humanity LOVES its paper.

in fact, if you were to look around the room you're in right now, I'd bet you'd find all

sorts of paper items.

There is so much paper being printed out and made all over the world that it's taking more

and more trees to come up with the demand needed to make the products.

Now, if there was a balance going on in the world, and we would plant trees equal to the

ones we were taking, it might be ok.

But it's not, it's not even close, the deforestation of the world has been going on for some time.

Including the chopping down of the Amazon Rainforest.

You know, the biggest forest in the world today?

Not only is it being chopped down bit by bit, it's being chopped down on all sides by various

countries who "lay claim" to the land.

Eventually, that forest will be gone, and we'll have a whole new set of problems.

All because our population is so big that we can't facilitate the needs of our population.

And that's STILL only scratching the surface of the problems.

Before we get to the humanity aspect again, we need to talk about a huge side effect of

cutting down all the trees.

Mainly, the animals that live there.

The world was made with balance in mind, and ecosystems have a very fine, yet fragile,

state of living that they try and uphold.

But when massive areas of their habitat are destroyed, they have to either move to a new

location, or die.

That's why many animal species are endangered or extinct, humanity is still growing, and

thus we need more land and items, and we have to take that away from the animals.

Then there's desertification.

Where a land becomes barren, useless, and for the most part lifeless.

A forest can turn into a desert if enough factors are met.

Such as when the Sahara Desert WASN'T a desert.

There were external factors that turned it into the desert we have now.

Imagine South America with a desert the size of the Amazon Rainforest because of what we're

doing to it.

Not a pretty picture, eh?

But let's head back to humanity for a bit.

Because our overpopulation of the world is causing another problem, living space issues.

While there is a small percentage of the world that is homeless, there are just as many who

are in terrible homes or living conditions, or are going to be needing homes of their

own as they get older.

You no doubt have seen various areas near your home town or city growing as time has

gone on.

Speaking from experience, the town this writer lived in went from the population of about

a thousand to many thousand in the course of a decade because of expansion, and it's

still growing.

Eventually, we're going to need even more space to grow to facilitate the population,

and that'll lead to problems of growth in other areas.

For example, if we need more land to put buildings, we have limited options in certain cases.

Because we need land to grow food and crops, right?

So we can't take those lands else risk food shortages.

And that's where animal parks and reserves come in, many are already being taken across

the world despite laws preventing that.

And other animal habitats are being bulldozed over without issue.

Speaking of food, you might have noticed that across the world certain food items are spiking

in costs.

That's because of the fact that crops have been having a hard time growing due to various

weather factors.

Australia was just bombarded with wildfires that nearly destroyed the whole country, and

as a result, they won't be the same for a while.

California in the United States has been having similar issues.

The more this happens the more our food supply is going to be hurt, and thus, the population,

and the planet, will suffer.

As if all of that wasn't enough, we have another very dirty issue that overpopulation brings:

trash.

OUr society has been doing better as of late to try and fix the trash issue, but the fact

of the matter is that there is tons of garbage all over the world that is in landfills and

is just being stacked up higher and higher.

Add to that, there is literal islands of trash in the ocean.

Every day, more trash is just being thrown out instead of recycled, and things like plastics

can't be easily recycled to make new things.

The more our population grows, the more trashy it gets, and that hurts us as humans, that

hurts the animals of the world, and so on and so forth.

So while it's true that our population will likely never grow to the point where we have

to "abandon ship" or do a "culling event" like many sci-fi movies predict.

Our rapid growth over the last 220 years has put us in a bind that we can't ignore.

Overpopulation may not be what you think, but its impact is very real.

Thanks for watching everyone!

What do you think about this look at overpopulation, from its causes to its effects?

Do you think that drastic steps need to be applied in order to save the world?

Or do you think we'll be fine?

Let me know in the comments below, be sure to subscribe, and I'll see you next time on

the channel!