Population growth: implications for environmental sustainability

Oluwagbenga Orimoogunje, Obafemi Awolowo University
Funmi Banjo, Obafemi Awolowo University

The impact of population growth on environment and its implication for survival is an important issue in the concept of environmental sustainability. Although considerable attention has been paid to this problem but systematic studies have been lacking. Rapid population growth and economic development and daily demand for natural resources for domestic and industrial use are growing at an increasing rate, especially in an urban center. This has led to the disruption of natural cycles of land resources and this is undermining the sustainability of the ecosystems. Thus, sustainable development can only be pursued if population size and growth are in harmony with the changing productive potentials of the ecosystem. The purpose of this study is to discuss the implication of Nigerian population growth on environmental sustainability.