8.1.9 (HL)—Rapid population growth

Rapid population growth can increase stress on Earth's systems, but total pressure also depends on per-person consumption, technology, distribution and governance.

Biocapacity is the ability of ecosystems to regenerate resources and absorb waste. The local textbook projection table rises to about 10.37 billion in 2075 and about 10.40 billion in 2100; projections beyond this are conditional on fertility, mortality, migration and policy.

Two cities with equal populations can create different pressure if one uses much more fossil energy per resident while the other has lower consumption but unmet basic needs.

Use the doughnut model to test both social foundations and planetary boundaries, then compare population, consumption and local biocapacity rather than population alone.

A projected population total is not a fixed outcome, and population size is not a single-cause explanation for environmental stress.