Over the limit
Qu, G.
Earthwatch 1989(34): 2
1989
PMID: 12291350 Document Number: 380934
With over 1 billion population, China is adding some 15 million to that total each year. And in the 18 years from 1982 to 2000, the net increase of Chinese population is expected to exceed 200 million. Because of the gigantic pressure from population and some mistakes in policies, the levels of ecological destruction and environment pollution are both serious. This includes deforestation, grassland degradation, desert encroachment, water resources shortage, and waste of mineral resources. Natural disasters including floods and droughts caused by those problems happen more and more frequently. If development damages the resource base, it can only result in a false prosperity, the so-called hollow economy. A large number of environmental problems result directly or indirectly from the pressure of population growth. Studies show that the appropriate number of people that can be supported by China's 9.6 million sq. km is about 700 million. However, this limit is now exceeded by over 300 million people, and will be exceeded by 500 million by the end of this century. Therefore, the task is to implement a birth control policy. At present, in urban areas, the goal of family planning has been reached, but in rural areas hard work is needed. Population control in urban areas, especially in big and medium-sized cities, includes dealing with the inflow of migrants from the countryside. There are 13 cities with a population above 2 million, 37 cities above 1-2 million, and 75 cities above 0.5-1 million. A lot of cities are very crowded, exerting great pressure on the environment. The booming of rural enterprises could provide a good solution to control the flow of rural people into big and medium-sized cities. The relationship between population, resources, environment, and development should be managed properly.