Population growth is a major issue that needs to be addressed in the years to come. The population is growing at an exponential rate. The world’s resources will need to produce more to meet the needs of the growing population. The population is increasing because of the major improvements in healthcare and health consciousness. As a result of the this, the death rate has decreased which means that people are living longer. The growing population puts a major burden on the resources of a country.
The rapid use of the planet’s resources can prevent the earth’s natural resources from renewing itself in enough time to meet the demands of the growing population (Seitz, 2016). In my opinion, the rate at which people are reproducing will need to be controlled in order to save the environment. The rate in which people reproduce can be controlled by creating a limit for the number of children that can be produced per family.
Also, by promoting family planning and education about birth control will help decrease the population. Global warming happens when carbon dioxide, other air pollutants, and greenhouse gases form in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. These pollutants trap the heat and cause the earth to get hotter, which is called the greenhouse effect (Weart, 2003). The human population growth impacts global warming. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas to make electricity is the largest source of pollution. Coal burning power plants and transportation are two of the largest sources of pollution. In order to combat global warming, new ways will need to be developed to generate cleaner air. One way to promote cleaner air would be to burn less gasoline by carpooling to work or riding public transportation. We can also promote cleaner air by becoming more energy efficient and using cleaner electricity and more solar energy. We must put policies and procedures in place for the solutions to be used and be successful. Africa is rich in natural resources ranging from land suitable for growing crops, water, oil, natural gas, minerals, forests and wildlife. The continent of Africa holds a huge proportion of the world’s renewable and non-renewable natural resources.It has 30 percent of the world’s mineral reserves, 8 percent of the world’s natural gas, 12 percent of the world’s oil reserves; the continent has 40 percent of the world’s gold and up to 90 percent of its chromium and platinum (United Nations, 2018). Africa has the largest reserves of cobalt, diamonds, platinum and uranium in the world. Africa holds 65 percent of the world’s land that is suitable for farming and 10 percent of internal renewable fresh water source (United Nations, 2018).In most African countries, natural capital accounts for between 30 percent and 50 percent of total wealth. Over 70 percent of the people that live in south of the Sahara depend on forests and woodlands for their livelihoods (United Nations, 2018). The land is an economic asset as well as a cultural resource. A significant share of the land is not able to be maintained, and other resources are lost through illegal activities, as a result, the stream of benefits generated from these resources have been reduced over time. Collectively, the continent has a lot to gain in pulling together and harnessing its vast natural resources to finance the development agenda towards greater growth and prosperity, but there must be consequences in place to ensure that future growth and the effective use of natural resources is results-oriented, climate resilient, and sustainable (United Nations, 2018) .What are greenhouse gases? How do they contribute to global warming? Greenhouse gases absorb and discharge radiant energy into the earth’s core contributing to the greenhouse effect. The most abundant greenhouses gases are carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons (Braasch, 2009). Global warming is caused by the discharge of these gases in the air which trap the heat in the atmosphere causing the planet to get hotter. Global warming is linked to extreme weather such as hotter heat waves, droughts, heavier rainfall, and powerful hurricanes. What kinds of economic, security, political, and other challenges do these emissions pose to the people of the developing world, and who are the biggest offenders? The United Nations Regional Assessment for Africa shows that the environment is becoming progressively worse at a quicker rate than was thought. Africa has lost an estimated $195 billion annually of its natural capital through unlawful financial flows, illegal mining, illegal logging, illegal trade in wildlife, unregulated fishing, and environmental degradation (United Nations, 2018). The government must act fast to reverse things. The report acknowledges that the economic growth of Africa depends on sustaining its natural resources. Is there any way to control the growth of population on a global level? In my opinion, I feel that there is a way to control the growth of a population on a global level by taxing parents with excess children at a higher rate. There will need to be more education about family planning and the use of contraceptives in the developing countries. People in the more impoverished areas may need their medication or contraceptives brought to them. Lastly, create a law that families can not have more than two children. There are some countries that suggest forced abortion, but I don’t agree with abortion. I think abortion is a little harsh. In conclusion, in time and with new policies and laws in place a country can develop and thrive but everyone in that country must do their part to make it better. The issues of improving management, economic development, and sustaining the environment of the country’s resources must be addressed. Also, everyone will have to be accountable to the process and consequences must be in place for the people that prohibit the improvement and the growth of the country. Works CitedBraasch, G. (2009). Earth Under Fire: How Global Warming is Changing the World. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.Institute, W. (2017). EarthED (State of The World) Rethinking Education on a Changing Planet. Washington D.C.: Island Press.Seitz, K. A. (2016). Global Issues: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.United Nations. (2018). Retrieved from United Nations Environment: S. R. (2003). The Discovery of Global Warming . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.