Overpopulation Promotes Oil Depletion

While much has been said about new energy sources and conservation intended to prevent the depletion of oil, the root cause of increased oil consumption is overpopulation. Every year the world population continues to increase, expanding the need for electricity, heating fuel, plastic, and other oil-based products.

Although some might think of population control as an issue which only affects some developing countries, the UN Human Development Report indicates that the population of countries as diverse as Australia, Greece, Libya, Nepal, and the U.S. have substantially increased since 1975. The population of many countries more than doubled during that time period. Even nations with non-increasing populations are often dependent on the same energy sources as others, leaving them vulnerable to decreasing supplies caused by overpopulation occuring elsewhere.

If we are to prevent the world’s oil reserves from being quickly depleted, measures must be taken to restrict the continued growth in population. While the Chinese government and the United Nations have made substantial efforts to prevent overpopulation, some conservative right-wing groups are opposed to birth control and intent on promoting “abstinence-only” sexual education. The U.S. government has taken an unconstructive role in this matter by opposing the U.N. Population Fund and failing to warn of overpopulation’s potential consequences.

Political leaders across the world need to realize the importance of population control before the consequences of this problem become even more severe. Governments and charitable organizations need to take measures to make birth control and sexual education available to everyone, while providing incentives for people to have fewer children. If little is done to address this problem, we are sure to experience severe pollution, oil depletion, and a number of other consequences at an early date.

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