Countries around the world have different attitudes towards population policy, some of them tend to delay population increase while others introduce policies to encourage birth rates. After centuries of continuous growth, which began with the first industrial revolution, the world's population reached more than 7 billion people in 2013. Research by Ezeh, Bongaarts, and Mberu (2012) indicates that the increase in population poses a threat to individuals and societies due to problems associated with growth. upon unmet request. “Growing population” in this essay can be defined as a net increase in the birth rate over a given period, particularly in poor developing countries. This essay will argue that the world cannot support a growing population. The reasons are firstly that limited natural resources can hardly support a large population and the environment may be polluted; second, economic problems, particularly the gap between rich and poor, may be caused by growing demand; and finally, pressures on social welfare brought about by population growth. Initially, it is argued that the increase in population can lead to environmental problems in the world by consuming natural resources and at the same time causing variable pollution. According to Hinrichsen and Robey (2000), with rapid population growth, most developing countries urgently need to improve their standards of living. To meet demand from developing countries, both developed and developing countries are consuming resources much faster than they can regenerate them. This means that humans are destroying resources needed in the future to satisfy present needs. This is supported by Loucks (2005) who reports that with the population tripling in the 20th century, water withdrawals increased 6 times, meaning water consumption increased...... middle from the paper......-5Loucks, DP (2005). Water Facts. Retrieved from https://dspace.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/2808/1/Facts%20about%20Water.pdfNational Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2013). NASA scientists relate urban population to air pollution http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/nasa-scientists-relate-urban-population-to-air-pollution/#.U2xNdNoaySMMartín-Guzmán, P (2005) Population and poverty. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.wwwproxy0.library.unsw.edu.au/stable/29789273?seq=5&Search=yes&list=hide&searchUri=%2Fopenurl%3Fvolume%3D61%26date%3D2005%26spage%3D167%26issn %3D00166987&prevSearch=&resultsServiceName=nullSociety. (November/December 1990) Social sciences and citizenship. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02695173#The World Bank. (year unknown). Subject: Poverty and equity http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/region/SSA