Overpopulation has become undeniable a current threat to humankind, mainly because of the over-exploitation of the world´s natural resources needed to sustain a population in constant expansion. This essay aims to discuss some consequences and suggest some propositions to mitigate the negative impact of overpopulation.

Overpopulation has become undeniable a current threat to humankind, mainly because of the over-exploitation of the world's natural resources needed to sustain a population in constant expansion. This essay aims to discuss some consequences and suggest some propositions to mitigate the negative impact of overpopulation. One of the major threats coupled with a growing population is the depletion of natural resources. The needs for a growing population are diverse, and most of them harm the ecosystem both at local and global levels. For instance, as the world population increases, the need for new arable land intensifies, the overexploitation of water required to sustain new crops and the use of fuel as a source of energy to produce and transport goods. All of them directly impact most ecosystems, affecting not only the biodiversity but also depleting the soil from nutrients and intensifying the rate of deforestation. Consequently, people are forced to migrate to urban areas, creating new problems such as a shortage of living areas and increased energy consumption coupled with life in the city. Over the last decade, several governments, such as in Sweden, Finland, and others, have proposed solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of overpopulation. Education at schools at all levels is probably the most critical measure to implement. For instance, promoting women's right to decide how many children they would have while explaining the advantages of birth control are importantly linked to education measures. Another practical solution is to increase awareness of the earth's ecosystems' vulnerability, highlight the importance of recycling water, and finally, responsible energy use. They all constitute examples of addressing such a complicated issue worldwide, which is achievable through education. To sum up, overpopulation is unquestionably an overwhelming problem. Governments worldwide must implement achievable and well-planned solutions to cope with it. Education is the most crucial measure governments would implement if they visualise the global effects of a growing population.