IGCSE Geography-Lesson 7-Population and Resources

​This image highlights the relationship between population growth and resource availability. As populations grow, they put more pressure on the planet’s finite resources. But do we always reach a crisis point, or can innovation keep up?

​Over the past 100 years, the world’s population has grown exponentially, meaning it has increased at a faster and faster rate. However, many of the resources we rely on—such as fossil fuels, fresh water, and arable land—are finite.

​Thomas Malthus believed that population growth would outpace food supply, leading to famine, war, and disease. He argued that natural "checks," such as starvation and conflict, would control population numbers. His theory suggested that without limits on population growth, disaster was inevitable.

​Esther Boserup disagreed with Malthus. She argued that as populations grow, people will find innovative ways to produce more food, whether through technology, improved farming methods, or scientific advances. She famously said, "Necessity is the mother of invention," meaning that people will always adapt to survive.

​Malthus and Boserup had very different views on population and resources. Malthus believed that resource scarcity would limit population growth, leading to crisis. Boserup believed human innovation would ensure resources keep up with demand.

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Malthus failed to predict technological advances like the Green Revolution, which dramatically increased food production. He also didn’t consider globalisation, trade, and food imports, which allow countries to access resources from elsewhere. However, in some regions, population growth still leads to food shortages and conflict—does this mean Malthus was partly right?

​Despite advances in food production, hunger remains a major global issue. According to the UN, over 735 million people worldwide suffer from chronic hunger, particularly in regions experiencing conflict, political instability, and economic inequality. While the world produces enough food for everyone, it is often unevenly distributed, with some countries facing severe shortages. Famines—widespread extreme food shortages—continue to occur, particularly in places like Yemen, Somalia, and South Sudan, where drought, war, and economic collapse have devastated food supplies.

​While Boserup’s theory highlights human innovation, it assumes that all societies can develop new technologies. In reality, poor countries may struggle to invest in agricultural innovation. Intensive farming can also lead to land degradation, such as desertification and soil erosion, reducing food production.

​In 1972, the Club of Rome published The Limits to Growth, a report based on computer models predicting the long-term impact of population growth, resource depletion, and environmental degradation. The report suggested that if growth continued unchecked, the world could face serious crises by the mid-21st century. However, it also argued that sustainable development and technology could help avoid disaster.

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• Unchecked population and economic growth will lead to resource exhaustion.

• Environmental degradation, pollution, and food shortages could cause global collapse.

• Advances in technology and sustainable practices could delay or prevent crises.

• Governments must take action to control consumption and pollution.

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Depending on how societies manage resources, we could face three futures:

1. Overpopulation – Too many people, not enough resources.

2. Optimum Population – The right balance between people and resources.

3. Underpopulation – Too few people to sustain economic growth.
   How can we ensure we reach an optimum population level?

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• To understand different population theories (Malthus and Boserup).

• To evaluate how population growth interacts with resource availability.

• To debate and form reasoned arguments around population and resources.