Population, Urbanization, and Animal Decline

Population, Urbanization, and Animal Decline

Economic development and population increase have impacted the environment through the years. As the population grows, urbanization increases. This increase in population and urbanization causes environmental impacts and a decline in animal populations. This paper will examine the five stages of economic development and how they impact the environment. Specifically, this paper will discuss Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the effects urbanization has had on the environment and animal populations.

Five Stages of Economic Development

There are five stages of economic development; Hunting-gathering and early agriculture, riverine civilizations, agricultural empires, the Atlantic industrial era, and the Pacific global era. In the Hunting-gathering and early agriculture era there was a lack of economic development. Environmentally, there was little to no significant destruction to the environment based on human impact. In this era there is a very low population. In the riverine civilizations there was an economic change as raw materials became more popular. Agriculture became more developed. Production and technology also increase causing a rise in the economy. As a result of this increase in production and technology, the environment begins to be impacted. In the agricultural empire manufacturing increases to the point of exporting. This exporting brings in money, yet impacts the environment at a much higher rate. This is where urbanization starts as a result of increased population.

Atlantic Industrial and Pacific Global Eras

In the Atlantic Industrial era the environmental conditions were declining as transportation and scale infrastructure increases. Technology and industries result in environmental concerns. Fossil fuel consumption and the use of natural resources by humans impact the environment. In the Pacific Global Era the environmental conditions are horrifying. There has been a major increase in energy use and environmental impact. The increase in building, road, power lines, etc. has caused a shift in the environmental impact. These two eras are similar because industry and technology drive the economic development, but they are different in their environmental impact. In the Atlantic industrial era, humans just begin to have an effect environmentally by increase in use of fossil fuels and development of industry. However, in the Pacific global era there is a shift in environmental impact as the population increases and the need for more buildings, roads, and other things that effect the environment. The population trends in the Atlantic industrial era and the Pacific global era led to urbanization because the more and more people, the more space required. This caused a decrease in land and an increase in parking lots and buildings. Not only was there an increase in cities,