According to Malthuss (1809) theory in 1789, the resource growth is

arithmetical and the worlds population growth is geometrical. Also,

Malthus (1809) predicted that the worlds population growth would
eventually outstrip resources and this crisis inevitably would lead to
famine. Through Malthuss theory, overpopulation is the main root of
a range of fearful issues such as famine, disease and war. Indeed,
there is no doubt that overpopulation is a serious problem that
causes a series of consequences. However, overpopulation is not
the worlds biggest problem. In fact, environmental degradation, the
consequence that caused by overpopulation, can be regarded as the
worlds biggest problem. Therefore, it should be understood
correctly and it can be resolved through developing sustainability
locally and regionally.

Over the past 60 years, the world population has expanded rapidly
and it has increased from roughly 3 billion in 1960 to approximately
7.3 billion in 2015 (The World Bank, no date). By 2050, the predicted
population will rise to more than 9 billion (Population Reference
Bureau, no date). It has been heated argued that the world is
overpopulated and the planet would face much more challenges if
the world population remains growing rapidly. However, as Allen and
Thomas suggested (2004, p.140), the world is relatively
overpopulated, depending on where to count and how to measure.
For instance, in certain parts of the world, particularly some
developing area, land is considerably overused due to poverty. A
large number of people are hungry for the fuel, food and pasture. On
the other hand, compared with the developing area, there will be
more resources and fewer poor people in some developed area.
Therefore, overpopulated appears to the unequal access to
resources and the population distribution rather the sheer number
of population.

In fact, as Rosling (2013) demonstrated, the fast population growth

will eventually end at this century. One such cause is difference
variation between birth and death rate. The population growth is
determined by fertility and mortality. As Clark (2006, p.438) showed,
compared with the fertility in late 20th century, an increasingly
significant issue is that the fertility is very low. Globally, the birth
rate has reached the peak and women have fewer children than
ever before (Kweifio-Okai and Holder, 2016). In addition, although
the overall population growth rate has falling gradually, the
population will still increase because of the long average life than
before (Kweifio-Okai and Holder, 2016).

Besides low fertility, demographic transition is another cause.

Demographic transition can be considered as the key factor that
underlying many societal developments (Clark, 2006, p.439). One
such aspect connects to fertility. In the economic terms, having
more children can be considered as getting more economic benefits
(Clark, 2006, p.438). Therefore, the poorer region is, the relatively
higher the birth rate. As the economy develops, the marriage age
will be later and the fertility will also decline. As Clark (2006, p.439)
stated, demographic transition is a global process, which will be
eventually, completed everywhere.

Despite the end of the rapid population growth, a serious conclusion

which was reached in the early 1970s is that if the present growth
trends in population, food production, industrialisation and resource
usages continued unchanged, the limits to live on this planet would
be reached sometime within 100 years (Meadows at el., 1972, cited
in Allen and Thomas, 2004, p.142). Although its time is 40 years
ago, it still states the truth. According to a research from University
of Melbourne, the early stage of global collapse will appear soon if
the present growth continues unchanged (Turner and Alexander,
2014). As researchers explained, the increasing population and
demands for material wealth will cause more industrial pollution
(Turner and Alexander, 2014). As Clark (2006, p.439) worried,
coupled with the increasing energy use, nine billion people in the
world may pose a serious challenge to the global sustainability.
However, as mentioned above, while environmental degradation is
concerned, the densities of people are much less serious than how
people gain their livelihoods, which establishes the relationship
between population and environment (Allen and Thomas, 2004,
p.149). As Allen and Thomas (2004, p.149) stated, human activities
that exploit the environment are the main causes of the
environmental consequences. One such activity is the use of natural
resources, particularly the raw resources that are non-renewable
such as fossil fuel and renewable such as wood. Another is the use
of renewable resources, which are transformed from waste products
through the capacity of environment. What damages the
environment is the intensity of exploitation of these environmental
resources, particularly in the forms of non-renewable resources
(Allen and Thomas, 2004, p.150). Environmental degradation is
intimately associated with resource depletion and pollution rise
(Baylis, Smith and Owens, 2014, p.354).

Regarding the motivations of these activities, livelihoods are mainly

triggered by economic benefits. In the case of industrialising
countries, industrialisation is one of the main factors. Allen and
Thomas (2004, p.144) suggested that there will be a large increase
in pollution when less industrialise countries do industrialise. This
conclusion is from the comparisons of the consumption of resources
between industrialised and non-industrialised countries, particularly
in the forms of non-renewable resources. A figure (Union of
Concerned Scientists, no date) estimates that the average carbon
dioxide emissions is 17.62 metric tons per person in USA in 2011,
while is only 1.45 per person in India in 2011.
As the increasing pollutant emissions and the growing awareness of
environmental degradation, the importance of sustainable
development has increasingly raised. As Brundtland Report (1987,
quoted in Hopwood, Mellor and O'Brien, 2005) defined, sustainable
development is the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their needs, rather than
dominate over the nature. The idea of sustainable development is
that ecology and economy are more and more intertwined locally,
nationally and globally, (Hopwood, Mellor and O'Brien, 2005). In this
point of view, it also points out that environmental issues are not
local but global; the human activities would impact globally. For
instance, while releasing the pollutant around the boarder of a
country, the pollution will float to the neighbouring country.

While discussing sustainability, there is a heated debate that

associated with human livelihoods. The World Business Council for
Sustainable Development (1998, quoted in Hopwood, Mellor and
O'Brien, 2005) suggested that there was no conflict between
sustainable development and the growth of global economy; the
healthy trade system can achieve the task. On the other hand,
Lomborg (2001, quoted in Hopwood, Mellor and O'Brien, 2005)
argued that environmental problems could only be solved until there
was enough wealth. In fact, the conflict can be settled, particularly
in certain conditions. The possible approach to implement the
sustainable development is to attach the great importance. And the
key to reform is government. As the environment deteriorates,
rather than only encouraging industries to change production
technology through policies, government actions to approach
sustainability should be much more efficient, such as raising the
taxes, restricting the pollutant emissions (Hopwood, Mellor and
O'Brien, 2005). One such example is China. As Chinese government
has faced the serious problem, sustainable development has
become the strategy that must be implemented through
modernisation, and it is one of the basic policies in China. To reduce
the use of fossil fuel and encourage a switch to green energy,
Chinese government has imposed a tax on high-sulfur coals (Chow,
2008). In addition, to offset fossil fuel consumption, government
estimated to add 3000 megawatts of hydropower annually through
developing renewable energy (Chow, 2008).

Apart from raising the importance, sustainable development should

be transformed locally and thoughtfully rather than reproduce other
successful cases. A controversial example is Three Gorges Dam in
Chinas Yangtze River. Apparently, this project is an important
energy source for Chinese growing electricity consumption needs,
and it is also an effective approach to solve the flood. However,
considering the likely consequences, it will be a disastrous
environmental disaster in the future.
To sum up, the world is relatively overpopulated. The definition of
overpopulation depends on distribution and measure. However,
environmental degradation is a global issue without any exceptions.
To resolve the environmental issues and delay the depletion of
natural resources at some time in the future, the awareness of
environmental degradation is necessary. To resolve the crisis is to
attach the great importance of its seriousness immediately and
globally. Furthermore, a relatively efficient approach to save the
environment is to develop sustainability locally and regionally. In
general, governments should introduce sustainable development
through the economy development. However, while developing the
sustainability, there is no universal regulation. Sustainability should
be conducted in accordance with practical situations, especially
considering the potential threats. As the environmental degradation
can be considered as the result of economic growth, the progress
sustainable development in industrialised countries will be much
better than in industrialising countries.

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Chow, G.C., 2008. China's energy and environmental problems and

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