World Population Day is celebrated to draw attention to the rapid rise in world population and the epidemic that may result because of it. In 1989, the UN Development Program recommended that 11 July be observed as World Population Day to address the surge in population and the issues that originate as a repercussion. The theme for this year is “Family Planning: Empowering People, Developing Nations.”   

It is the right of any human to have the freedom of choosing a safe family plan; it is also central to women empowerment and eradicating poverty. Lack of family planning is probably the root cause of more than a few of the modern day societal problems. The most common problems that can be directly linked to poverty are increase in crime rate, poverty, food shortage, lack of fresh water or the receding ground water levels, etc.

In the light of this, the world population day is on 11 July and coincidentally “Family Planning Summit” is on the same day. Today, there are nearly 214 million women around the world in developing countries who want to avoid pregnancy, but cannot do so because of lack of access to information, resources and the support of their partner or parents.

Information About World Population

It is observed that there is a considerable rise in world population every year; 83 million people are added to existence on the Earth every year and if this keeps up, the world population will reach 8.6 billion by 2030. This escalating population gives rise to the scarcity of valuable resources like food and water. With a rise in population, the level of poverty will also rise. The rising population also poses risk for the environment and the diversity of wild and marine life as the need for resources would lead to the elimination of them.

World Population Day History

The attention of the public and the leaders of the world were attracted towards the continuous rising population in the year 1987 when the world population touched nearly five billion. The Governing Council of the UN Development Program (UNDP) on the year 1989 declared 11 July as the World Population Day to spread awareness of the negative effects of overpopulation. This day is also observed as the day to remind the citizens of the world to find a solution for the problem of escalating population. The whole world was alarmed in the year 2011 when the population touched 7 billion. The rate at which the population is rising is a major concern for thinkers all around the world. We seem to be adding a population of nearly 2 billion every few decades. By statistical observation and considering the decline in fertility, it can still be assumed that if the population keeps surging at this rate then not long from now the world would have exhausted most of its resources.

Effects Of Increasing Population

As we discussed earlier, the effects of overpopulation can be severe and it might lead to the extinction of humans and not before we consume the whole planet. The effects can be so immense that it would affect and alter everything around us. Some of the dire consequences and overpopulation facts are explained below.

• Extinction Of species – After the extinction of dinosaurs, we humans are causing mass extinctions. It is estimated that 50 percent of the plants and animals on the planet will be extinct in a few decades due to habitat loss, deforestation, pollution, invasive species, human overpopulation, poaching, exploitation of resources, etc.
• Depletion Of Natural Resources – As the human population continues to explode, the natural resources that are finite will shrink further and further. And since everything is inter-linked, the effect can be observed all across the planet and the ripple effects have already started to show.
• Increased Habitat Loss – The increase in population is one of the major reasons behind the loss of ecosystem. Earlier, the planet was covered 14% by rainforests and the number today is 6%; it is also assumed that the remaining rainforest could be totally gone in the next three decades.
• Global Warming And Climate Change – The greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere can cause global warming and this single thing can have drastic effects on the climate and ecology.

The rise in the total world population is a concern for every individual on this planet. It is our planet and every individual who lives on it and those who will inhabit it in the future have the right to a healthy planet. The World Population Day is a day to swear an oath and truly practice the theme of the World Population Day 2017.