Vijay Garg
The exponential growth of the global population is one of the most pressing issues today. In numerous countries, the rapid increase in population is causing a significant strain on available resources. This imbalance is particularly evident when considering the relationship between population growth and resource availability.
For instance, as of July 7, 2024, India’s population reached a staggering 1.044 billion, accounting for approximately 18.02 percent of the world’s total population of 8.119 billion. However, India occupies only about 2.5 percent of the world’s land area. This disproportion creates immense pressure on the country’s natural resources.
A United Nations report on the global food crisis released in April 2023 highlighted the severity of this issue, noting that about 282 million people across 59 countries were experiencing hunger. The report emphasized that regions affected by conflict, such as the Gaza Strip and Sudan, saw over 24 million people facing food shortages by 2022. These numbers underscore a troubling trend: as the global population rises, so does the number of people suffering from hunger. Since the UN’s first report on food shortages in 2016, the number of hungry people worldwide has quadrupled.
Addressing the basic needs of a growing population—such as food, clothing, shelter, clean drinking water, medical care, and medicines—becomes increasingly challenging. Governments also face increased pressure to provide energy, oil, natural gas, and other essential resources. This growing demand underscores the urgent need to find and utilize alternative energy sources.
The relationship between population growth and resource depletion was first mathematically demonstrated by economist Thomas Robert Malthus in 1798. Malthus showed that an increase in food supply could lead to rapid population growth, subsequently depleting available resources and perpetuating human suffering unless population growth is controlled.
Historically, concerns about population growth and resource depletion have been voiced by leaders and economists. In 1888, Viceroy Lord Dufferin expressed fears that rapid population growth could lead to famine in India due to low agricultural production. Despite these concerns, India’s population growth rate from 1871 to 1941 averaged 0.60 percent, slightly below the global average of 0.69 percent. However, the growth rate increased significantly post-1951, reaching around two percent. Improvements in education and healthcare since the 1970s have led to a gradual decline in population growth rates. According to the Economic Survey, the annual population growth rate in India fell from 2.5 percent between 1971-81 to 1.3 percent by 2011-16.
Despite the declining growth rate, the increasing population continues to strain resources, contributing to a rising national debt. A report by Business Standard indicated that by September 2023, India’s total debt burden had reached Rs 205 lakh crore. Furthermore, the World Economic Forum’s 2021 report ranked India’s education quality 90th globally.
The United Nations’ population report released on November 15, 2022, predicted that India would surpass China as the world’s most populous country by 2027. However, by April 2023, India had already overtaken China, making it the most populous nation.
Uncontrolled population growth leads to numerous societal issues, including unemployment, hunger, malnutrition, disease, poverty, and social unrest. These problems can erode the moral, ideological, cultural, and traditional fabric of society, hindering social development and leading to increased crime rates, including violence, corruption, theft, and terrorism.
Historically, Indian governments have been reluctant to take drastic measures to curb population growth. During Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s tenure, for instance, no significant steps were taken. Governments may have feared public backlash, as high population was traditionally viewed as a sign of development. However, perceptions have shifted, recognizing the challenges posed by a large population.
Severe droughts and famines have highlighted the urgent need to address population growth. While family planning programs were strictly implemented in the 1970s, political leaders have often remained silent on the issue. However, on Independence Day in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over population growth and urged states to develop plans to address it. In the interim Budget of 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the formation of a high-powered committee to tackle the challenges of population growth and demographic changes, aiming to create a ‘developed India.’
Addressing the population-resource imbalance requires a multifaceted approach, including improving education, healthcare, and family planning initiatives, and developing sustainable resource management strategies. Only through concerted efforts can we hope to mitigate the pressures of an increasing population on our planet’s finite resources.
