Name: GEOG TA
Student ID #: 9xx-xxx-xx8
Term: GEOG 300, Fall 2016
TA: Brittany Koenker
CT #: 1-8 due 09/21/2016
Q #: 1-24
Word Count: 549(citations not included)
Meeting the Demands of a Growing Population Threatens Existing Infrastructure
Interpretation (65words):
Overpopulation is a major issue, which threatens the well being of future social and environmental systems. Current projections forecast an increase in the global population from the current level of just over 7 billion to 11.2 billionby 2100 (United Nations, 2015, p. 2). The challenges associated with meeting the demands of this growing population pose a substantial threat to existing infrastructure and human wellbeing.
Analysis (407words):
While humans have a long history of technologicaladaptation and advancement, global resources are ultimately finite. Population growth increases demand for these resources and will eventually exceed the capacity of global infrastructure to support essential human needs. This, coupled with unprecedented rates of urban population growth, will be a major driver of environmental change at various levels (Grimm et al., 2008, p. 756). Infrastructure solutions and more efficient land use can alleviate some potential impacts, but will inevitably involve tradeoffs (McDonald et al., 2011, p. 6314). Additionally, these engineered solutions require time, capital, political will, and effective governance, which is often lacking (McDonald et al., 2011, p. 6316). An analysis of specific life-sustaining resources (e.g., energy and water) can elucidate the complexities of this issue.
The provision of water to a growing population is not only dependent on freshwater availability, but on the quality and delivery of this resource to users (e.g., municipal water treatment and pumping) (McDonald et al., 2011, p. 6312). The existing system that provides this service is stressed by ongoing population growth and urbanization, which increases surface runoff, enhances flooding risks, alters demand, and decreases the performance of stormwater treatment systems (Mikovits et al., 2014, p. 1148). Potential infrastructure solutions involve enhancing water storage through dams or other impoundments, providing long-distance transport, or increasing availability through desalination or utilization of new resources (e.g., groundwater) (McDonald et al., 2014). However, each option comes with a suite of environmental and social consequences and limitations.
Water delivery, as with most human activities (e.g., agricultural production, industry, etc.), requires a reliable source of energy. As the population increases, the impact on energy use will be two-fold. First, an increase in the number of energy users will result in higher total consumption, which requires available energy, storage, and transport mechanisms. Second, energy use per capita will increase in conjunction with further industrialization (Bilgen, 2014, p. 891). Fossil fuels are a finite energy resource, associated with many negative environmental impacts. While an array of renewable energy alternatives exist, their development is limited by present infrastructure capabilities and resource availability. The land required to harness and transport renewables (e.g., wind, solar, and biomass energy) must compete for space with other essential functions (e.g., cropland, forestland, etc.) (Pimentel & Pimentel, 2006, p. 196).These cumulative impacts will alter the composition of energy infrastructure and require expansion beyond what exists today; these changes may or may not be feasible in all situations.
Evaluation (31 words):
Studies assessing global change rely heavily on population projections provided by models with many built-in assumptions. These models forecast a wide range of results, which influence any conclusions drawn from them.
Inference (24 words):
The infrastructureand adaptive capacity of different countries vary widely; so broad assertions regarding global overpopulation impacts may not be applicable in all instances.
Explanation (22 words):
Global population growth threatens social and environmental wellbeing by increasing stress put on the existing infrastructure, which provides essential resources to humans.
Literature Cited
Bilgen, S. (2014). Structure and environmental impact of global energy consumption.
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 38, 890-902.
Grimm, N. B., Stanley, H. F., Golubiewski, N. E., Redman, C. L., Wu, J., Bai, X., & Briggs, J. M.
Global change and the ecology of cities. Science, 319, 756-760.
McDonald, R. I., Green, P., Balk, D., Fekete, B. M., Revenga, C., Todd, M., & Montgomery, M.
(2011). Urban growth, climate change, and freshwater availability.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,108(15), 6312-6317.
Mikovits, C., Rauch, W., & Kleidorfer, M. (2014). Dynamics in urban development, population
growth and their influences on urban water infrastructure. Procedia Engineering, 70, 1147-1156.
Pimentel, D., & Pimentel, M. (2006). Global environmental resources versus world population
growth. Ecological Economics, 59, 195-198.
United Nations. (2015). World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision, Key Findings and
AdvanceTables (Working Paper No. ESA/P/WP.241). New York, NY: Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division.