AICE Environmental Management Study Guide: Managing Human Population

Human Population Dynamics and Structure

  • Population Density: Number of people per square mile/km.

    • Influencing Factors:
    • Environmental: Climate, topography, natural resources, natural hazards.
    • Economic: Job opportunities, industry, infrastructure, cost of living.
    • Social: Social services, quality of life, cultural identity.
    • Political: Government policies, conflicts.
    • Historical: Settlement legacy, urbanization, land use.

  • Population Change Factors:

    • Immigration (i): Increases population size.
    • Emigration (e): Decreases population size.
    • Birth Rate (b): Number of births per 1000 people/year.
    • Death Rate (d): Number of deaths per 1000 people/year.

  • Population Calculation:

    • Population Size=Population+[(Immigration+Birth)−(Emigration+Death)]Population\, Size = Population + [(Immigration + Birth) - (Emigration + Death)]

Age Structure Diagrams

  • Left side: Males; Right side: Females.

  • Age Categories:

    • 0-14 years: Pre-reproductive.
    • 15-44 years: Reproductive.
    • 45+ years: Post-reproductive.

  • Cohort Implications:

    • Wide 0-14 cohort = Future growth; low access to family planning.
    • Narrow 0-14 cohort = Decline; high access to education/jobs for women.
    • Dependency ratio: Ratio of dependent (under 15 and over 65) to working population (15-64).

Population Structures of HICs vs LICs

  • HICs:

    • Low infant mortality due to healthcare access.
    • Low total fertility rate influenced by education and economic opportunities for women.

  • LICs:

    • High infant mortality; families have replacement children.
    • Limited access to education and family planning.

Demographic Transition Model

  • Impacts of Aging Populations:
    • Lower tax revenue.
    • Higher pension spending.
    • Increased pressure on healthcare and retirement systems.
    • Higher dependency ratio.

Managing Human Population Change

  • Strategies for change management:
    • Improved contraception and health care.
    • Education about family planning.
    • Pro-natalist vs Anti-natalist policies:
    • Pro-natalist: Encourages higher birth rates (financial incentives, support).
    • Anti-natalist: Reduces birth rates (family planning, legal restrictions).

Global Policies and Advocacy

  • United Nations Agenda 21: Focus on sustainable development.
  • The Club of Rome: Provides strategies for managing human population change, advocates for awareness on interaction between population dynamics and environmental resources.