What are Some Solutions to Overpopulation?

One of the most obvious ways to decrease population is for people to have fewer children. In countries where babies and young children are less likely to survive into adulthood, it is more common for families to have a larger number of children. It’s also more common for families to have more children in places where those children might be needed to help with work. However, more children also means more people to feed and care for.

Education typically leads people to have fewer children. Around 130 million girls and young women around the globe currently do not have access to education. Many are kept at home to work and are at risk of exploitation. Girls who are able to stay in school are less likely to marry and have children young. They are also likely to have fewer children overall.  Empowering women and girls so that they can choose what happens in their future is one of the most effective ways known for reducing unwanted pregnancies / birth rates?
It’s also important to consider the role of society and government in these matters. Some policies help provide access to education or family planning services, whilst others make it harder for people to access support. It’s also important for young people to be allowed access to education about pregnancy and contraception so that they can make informed choices as they get older.  Governments can also offer tax incentives to families who have fewer children and can fund health programs so that fewer children die in infancy, eventually leading people in developing countries to have fewer children. Some people choose not to use contraception due to religious or cultural pressures. Providing access to contraception to all those who would like it would make a dramatic dent in population numbers.

People also cause less harm if they are not overconsuming resources. Creating policies that benefit the environment and showing people that they need to waste less will help to protect the limited resources that we do still have.  The richest people on the planet are consuming far more than their fair share, causing huge imbalance in the resources available to all.