Every day the size of the world population is getting bigger, but the size of our planet isn’t increasing alongside it. This overpopulation brings many challenges. Not only in terms of finding the space and the resources for additional people but also in terms of raising and maintaining a high standard of living for all of us. Something needs to be done if we are to avoid war, an increase of the socioeconomic gap, and exhausting mother nature.
Sounds a bit overwhelming? Watch this young person explain the impact of overpopulation:
So let’s look at the causes of overpopulations to see what is necessary to solve this global challenge.
Causes of Overpopulation
Several issues play into the topic of overpopulation:
- High rate of birth and child mortality in developing countries. Due to the lack of sanitation, clean water and food, parents tend to get more children to make up for the possible losses. Also, having more children means having more people who are able to provide for the family. This makes it even more attractive to have a large family.
- Both improved medical knowledge and more efficient food production prolong our lifespan. So the number of births by far exceeds the number of deaths globally.
Overpopulation in Developing Countries
Overpopulation first and foremost has its root in developing countries. Some fear that this is a trend that will continue endlessly, while others think that this is just a stage in the development of the developing countries. To learn more about that, watch this video:
Solutions to Overpopulation
Generally speaking, the higher the standard of living is, the lower the birth rate tends to be. That means that the solution to overpopulation requires us to raise the global standard of living. Once achieved, all the people would have equal access to resources, education, job opportunities, social security, health care, etc.
Innovative Projects Tackling Overpopulation
At Moonshot Pirates we empower youth to tackle various global challenges, overpopulation being one of them. Several projects have been developed by our community aiming to solve the challenge of overpopulation. For example, the project Radiocation, which was developed in the #beapirate Challenge 2021. It wants to solve the lack of education by providing those without access to a school with a radio that brings them educational programs. Another project from the 2021 Challenge, Teentrepreneurs, has developed a platform that helps young people worldwide gain entrepreneurial skills to kickstart their careers and increase their access to jobs.
Exponential Technologies
Exponential technologies, such as 3D printing, are also moving us one step closer to solving overpopulation. 3D printing for instance enables us to produce food and housing much more sustainably by printing what we need where we need it.
Your Contribution to the Bigger Picture
Things are happening, and solutions are appearing, but they need to be implemented at a global scale through global collaboration. The life quality of all is the responsibility of all. So if this topic is important to you, ask yourself these questions:
- What can you do to reduce your consumption and increase your recycling?
- What can you do to make the world more inclusive and accessible?
- How can you support those that have less than you?
Think big and generously, dare to learn and grow and take compassionate action – #beapirate.
