World population growth, growing affluence, advances in technology and their impact on the nature, rate and extent of land cover change and biodiversity loss Flashcards
An Overview of world population
-World population is estimated to be 9 billion by 2050
-Although world population is predicted to grow at high levels, the population growth rate is steadily decreasing since its peak in 1960
-In 2007 global urban population became larger than that of the rural population
3 Main factors which will influence the world’s population and its growth rates in the future
1) Humans are living much longer
2) The majority of all population growth will occur in urban areas in developing nations
3) Fertility rates are declining
Account for the link between fertility rates and increasing affluence
Fertility rates reduce in countries when they become more affluent, this is due to several factors including: improved health care which reduces the infant mortality rate and thus the need to have more children; the increasing costs of raising children in MEDCs; increased education rates of women and the higher participation rate in the work force
An overview of affluence
-Affluence is having a great deal of money and wealth
-Globally, 1% of the world’s population holds 50% of the world’s wealth
-The higher the level of wealth in a country the higher the demand for resources and technologies
Account for affluence in relation to land cover change
The more affluent countries increase their demand for food and consumer products and it’s the less affluent countries that produce these goods and services. This has seen a trend of global displacement land use meaning wealthier nations move away from producing the goods and rely on the less wealthy nations to produce them. In the same process the wealthier nations can afford to reforest their forests due to the removal of agricultural land use.
Account for advances in technology in relation to land cover change
The industrialisation, accelerated population growth and the consequent urban expansion in MEDCs formed a pattern where affluence and ‘technology hungry’ populations worsened environmental quality.
Account for advances in technology in relation to sustainability
New technology can pave the way towards a more sustainable future. The more affluent countries are investing in the development of technologies that will be greener and allow arable land to be more productive.
