/r/overpopulation
We are growing relentlessly, carrying out deforestation and eradication of other species, exhausting fish stocks, using up our resources to the limit and competing over what remains. Instead of converting a diversified biomass into more and more humans who will intensify the process, let's aim for a lower, stable, more mature population. We have the means, we need the will.
Planetary impact ≈ Consumption × Population
The growth of our human population will eventually end somehow, whether we want it or not. But how will it happen? We can stop growing deliberately, of our own accord. Or we can let circumstances beyond our control stop us under conditions much more distasteful than anything we could decide on our own. Overpopulation concerns are about the welfare of humanity and the health of the planet, our only support system.
The only sustainable population is one where the birth rate is a close match for the death rate where humanity's combined impact on the planet can be supported by the planet's biosphere and ecology, a situation that must be stable and balanced. Clearly this is not what we have now. For the sake of ourselves and our planet, recognition of the overpopulation problem, and identifying the best solutions to it, should be one of humanity's top priorities.
No racism. This isn't your personal platform to espouse racist views—either directly or tacitly—via overpopulation. This actually hurts the goal of encouraging planetary sustainability—all of humanity is accountable.
Encouraging murder, eugenics, or forced sterilisation is banned. The solutions to overpopulation involve ways to decrease birth rates and encourage behavioural changes and awareness of our impact on the planet—in a way that is compatible with a free and democratic society. Concepts like mass-murder, eugenics, or sterilisation do not accomplish these goals, and only result in the proprogation of extremist ideologies.
Be excellent to each other. No personal attacks, harassment, or vitriolic commentary. Presenting a kind, rational approach to the problem of overpopulation makes it likelier to convince others of the problem that is human overpopulation.
Don't be stupid. Most conspiracy-related material is not on-topic for a discussion around overpopulation.
/r/overpopulation
In particular, 76.9% responded that it was very serious.
For reference, Busan's population is 3.3 million, or 5 million in the metropolitan area.
There’s already not enough water for the amount of people and as extreme weather intensifies, this problem will only get worse. All these ppl who moved to the deserts of Arizona and other drought likely areas are getting hit hard. It’s not only in less developed countries (many of which have huge populations) where there’s drought. The US is gong to start to feel this more and more. The more the pop grows and the more ppl we let in, the worse it will be for everyone. We need desalinization and depopulating but the scope of what we need means that relief isn’t coming in a big way.
How do I suggest my brilliant idea to legislators?
What's on your mind? You can chat here if you don't want to make a new post. Or drop in and see what others are talking about.
India's rapid population growth has profound environmental implications, affecting natural resources, biodiversity, and contributing to climate change. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, the strain on India's environment is becoming increasingly evident.
Resource Depletion
Overpopulation accelerates the depletion of natural resources. The demand for water, energy, and land for agriculture and urban development leads to over-extraction and degradation of these resources. For instance, over-extraction of groundwater for agriculture and urban use is depleting reserves faster than they can be replenished, leading to water scarcity in many regions.
Loss of Biodiversity
The expansion of agricultural land and urban areas to accommodate the growing population results in deforestation and habitat destruction, leading to a loss of biodiversity. This not only threatens wildlife but also disrupts ecosystems that are vital for environmental balance.
Climate Change Acceleration
Overpopulation contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions due to higher energy consumption, vehicular emissions, and industrial activities. This exacerbates climate change, leading to more frequent and severe weather events, such as floods and droughts, which disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
Waste Management Challenges
The growing population generates more waste, including plastic, industrial, and electronic waste. Inadequate waste management infrastructure leads to pollution of air, water, and soil, posing health risks and environmental degradation.
Policy Recommendations
To mitigate environmental impacts, India should:
Addressing the environmental consequences of overpopulation is essential for India's sustainable development and the health of its ecosystems.
India's burgeoning population, projected to surpass China's by 2024, presents significant challenges to its healthcare system. With only 2.4% of the world's land area, India must support 14% of the global population, leading to resource constraints and increased pressure on healthcare services.
Strain on Healthcare Infrastructure
The rapid population growth has overwhelmed India's healthcare infrastructure. Many public health centers, especially in rural areas, lack essential facilities and staff. This shortage results in overcrowded hospitals, long waiting times, and inadequate patient care. The disparity between urban and rural healthcare access exacerbates the situation, with rural areas often facing severe shortages of medical professionals and resources.
Increased Disease Burden
Overpopulation contributes to the spread of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. High population density facilitates the transmission of infectious diseases like tuberculosis and malaria. Simultaneously, lifestyle changes associated with urbanization have led to a rise in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, further burdening the healthcare system.
Mental Health Challenges
The pressures of overpopulation also affect mental health. In densely populated areas, competition for resources like water, land, and jobs can lead to heightened stress and anxiety. This environment contributes to mental health issues, which are often overlooked in the broader healthcare discourse.
Policy Recommendations
To address these challenges, India needs to:
Addressing overpopulation's impact on healthcare is crucial for India's sustainable development and the well-being of its citizens.
Taking all scientific and technological advancements into account.
Type in "overpopulation" in YouTube search and you get a bunch of pro-natalist propaganda proclaiming that there is no problem and we need to have more children.
You can find a few videos discussing overpopulation in earnest, but these are older videos (5+ years old).
Is there some big censorship going on?
The following are overpopulation myths and faults guided by me (Restoration Ecologist) into Chat GPT. Some of these bullets can (and should) be expanded upon for context/nuance reasons, but I think they are all pretty good. I think it covers most levels of education on the topic.
I think we need to understand that the current situation we are where the world lacks the resources to provide for so many people and where nobody can afford housing, healthcare and food as we used to before calls for some massive changes. We can’t afford pensions for old people anymore, and we can’t keep growing in numbers just to make everyone have worse jobs and less life quality than the previous generations. Those who want to keep the population growing know they won’t be the ones most affected by the downsides of it, even on contrary they might be benefiting from it, like pensionists or rich people who need cheaper and desperate working force.
I'm sick and tired when I see on reddit - people being contented with the fact that India's fertility rate is below the Replacement rate of 2.1. I'll be contented when your population actually starts declining.
I'm so frustrated that people just look at one statistic on India's fertility rate without looking at the entire picture. Having lower fertility rate doesn't always mean declining population. India's population will still grow until atleast 2060s and maybe even 2070s and will reach the threshold of around 1.6B - 1.8B which means atleast 200M - 400M more people than what we have now. Can you imagine this?
I live in this country - in the most polluted city on planet Earth right now - New Delhi. It's a rat race every day in this country. Every day you're fighting a war in this country. War against pollution and fighting for clean air, war against unimaginable traffic congestion and chaos, war against 1000s of people applying for just 10 job positions, war against skyrocketing inflation and real estate prices, war against billionaires who pay you $3,000 a year (not month) but a year who say that young people of this country are lazy bums for not wanting to work atleast 80hrs/week for $3,000/yr pay, war against horny people who breed like rabbits and use those children as begging scammers and retirement pension schemes, war against people who want to chop down entire forests and destroy habitats for their own financial motives, war for your own personal space, war for a below average (not good) but just a below average standard of living etc. Imagine living in this modern day shithole and you're telling me to be optimistic about the fact that fertility rate is down and below the replacement rate. Absolutely NO.
Nobody respects us Indians. We are just slaves who build infrastructure in middle East and then die building that infrastructure in extreme heat. You ask why - because these rich middle East nations have shit tons of oil but very less people. Less people and more resources means better quality of life for everyone. More people who just can't stop breeding with very scarce resources and space - and you end up like a country which is India.
How often have you seen Americans or Canadians or people from rich countries trying to come to India for better opportunities. Very less or never? It is always the other way around. Indians flock in massive numbers and immigrate to these rich countries in the millions in hope for a better quality of life. Is escaping India the way forward or solving your horny problem to control overpopulation is the solution. I believe the latter one is.
Our government allows people to breed like rabbits because they could then export this labour to foreign countries where they'll be heavily exploited for a shit pay that they'll send to their families in the form of remittances which is the one of the main sources of income for countries like India. And that's why our corrupt and incompetent government doesn't stop people from nonstop breeding.
The answer is plain and simple. Earth has limited amount of resources. Less people means better resource distribution and higher quality of life for all people. More people and you end up like India where people fight a war every single day for survival.
Scandinavian countries are perfect examples of this. You got these tiny countries with high amount of resources that have a population size of less than or equal to ten million and with that you end up with an incredibly rich and prosperous nation with highly educated people, unparalleled social benifits and the highest quality of life you could find on the entire planet.
So, let me finish this by saying - Nobody gives or should give a shit about the falling fertility rate of India. I'll become optimistic when population actually starts declining and I hope it declines at a rapid pace...
Meanwhile, politicians and the wealthy elites get richer with our labor and taxes. The motive is clear. Don't believe their BS. End of my short rant.