HUMAN POPULATION

MPHO SEFATSARHODES UNIVERSITYPSYCHOLOGY (Hons.)

OVERVIEWO Why study human populationO World population projectionsO Population issuesO Influence of human population on

the planetO Challenges influenced by human

populationO Possible interventions

HUMAN POPULATIONOCarrying capacity- “Ability of an area to sustain a

particular number of a population without significant negative impacts.”

OOverpopulation- Maximum number increasing carrying capacity

WHY STUDY HUMAN POPULATION

O To understand the relationship between population variables:

-social-environmental-economic-geographical

PROJECTED POPULATION

O World population: 1990 – 1,633bn 2010 – 6,812bn 2012 – 7bn

O2050:9, 202, 458, 484

POPULATIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE

Figure showing population rates amongst countries

Year Population Average annual growth rate (%)

Average annual population change

1950 2,556,517,137 1.47 37,798,160 1960 3,040,966,466 1.33 40,782,196 1970 3,708,751,360 2.07 77,391,102 1980 4,452,645,562 1.69 76,038,009 1990 5,282,765,827 1.58 84,050,074 2000 6,081,527,896 1.22 74,414,630 2010 6,825,750,456 1.10 75,688,866 2020 7,563,094,182 0.91 69,180,831 2030 8,206,457,382 0.72 58,925,303 2040 8,759,140,657 0.58 50,686,755 2050 9,224,375,956 ???????

Recorded and projected world population figures for the 100-year period 1950-2050

POPULATION ISSUES

SocialEnvironmen

talEconomicPolitical

HUMAN INFLUENCE ON THE PLANET

O Depletion of natural resourcesO Land degradationO PollutionO Increase poverty O Affects the ability of nature to

sustain itself

CHALLENGESO Demand for

energy and natural resourses

O Food securityO Biodiversity lossO Water quality and

demand management

O Human capacityO Climate change

POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS

O EducationO Job creationO Improve water qualityO Reduce carbon footprintO Balance the demand for energyO Contraceptive

SUMMARYO Population growth has a negative

effect on the environmentO Overpopulation poses a lot of threats

to the environment, thus there is slight imbalance in the ecosystem.

O Implementing practical interventions can help us control population growth to a steady rate