Our population question

Source: This post has been created based on the article “Our population question”, published in Business Standard on 12^th June 2023.

Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 1 – Population and associated issues

Context: India is projected to surpass China and become the world’s most populous country around mid-2023, reaching a population of approximately 1.45 billion. The article discusses its environmental consequences for India.

While it’s undeniable that a larger population will require more resources, the relationship between population growth and environmental degradation isn’t straightforward. For instance, countries like the US and Australia, despite having smaller populations, have a larger environmental footprint than India.

Why environmental footprints are smaller in India?

India’s smaller environmental footprint is largely due to its poverty, which necessitates frugality. As India’s wealth increases, so too might its consumption and environmental impact. This is already evident in the increasing amounts of waste and air pollution as the country becomes wealthier.

What are challenges in front of India?

India is already seeing a decline in its total fertility rate, which has dropped below the replacement level. So, it won’t be a challenge in front of India.

The challenge lies in managing the population dividend and ensuring that as the population grows, the country does not follow the same environmentally destructive path as other wealthier nations.