Having watched the documentary “Zu viel Konsum? Zu viele Menschen? – Die Erde am Limit” by Arte, I felt a real sense of urgency about the issues it explored. The film dives into two powerful themes that are tightly intertwined: population growth and resource consumption. It shines a light on the challenging question of whether our planet can support its current trajectory of population growth and ever-increasing consumer demand. For those of us in the global north, this film is a wake-up call—a reminder of how deeply our lifestyles impact the environment and others across the globe. And as I watched, I realized just how closely this topic aligns with my own thesis project, which seeks to encourage climate-friendly actions in everyday life through gamification.
Population Growth on a Limited Planet
The documentary opened by tackling population growth, examining the differences between a couple in Italy and a large family in Ethiopia. This contrast was big: while in Sub-Saharan Africa, families are often large because children provide labor and support, in Italy, the birth rate has dwindled, with only 1.2 children per woman, one of Europe’s lowest rates. The film points out that while population growth in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa continues to soar, other parts of the world face their own problem: high resource consumption.
Ethiopia, for instance, currently has a population of 120 million people, projected to double in the next three decades. Here, lack of education and family planning often contribute to high birth rates. Many rural women, often married young, work up to 16 hours daily, and societal norms give men the say on family size. Meanwhile, limited education and health services mean fewer opportunities for family planning. The film shows the efforts of organizations like Menschen für Menschen, founded by Austrian Karlheinz Böhm, to integrate family planning into broader socio-economic initiatives. By improving access to healthcare, education, and clean water, they empower families to make informed decisions about their family size and overall well-being.
Projects like these illustrate that sustainable development doesn’t have to follow the path of overconsumption seen in wealthier countries. They are not only reducing immediate poverty but are also considering long-term sustainability. Watching these initiatives in action, I felt motivated to integrate similar ideas into my app, such as creating community-focused challenges or reward systems for local environmental contributions, like tree planting or waste reduction.
The Role of the Global North
The documentary highlights that the global north is just as responsible for the current ecological strain as areas with high birth rates. The issue isn’t just about “too many people” but also “too much consumption.” Take the Italian couple in the documentary, who use more resources before breakfast than an Ethiopian family might use in an entire year. The wealthiest billion people worldwide consume 72% of global resources, whereas the poorest 1.2 billion consume just 1%.
Our way of life in the global north, with frequent air travel and a consumption-heavy lifestyle, is a significant factor in pushing the Earth to its limits. Climate compensation schemes – where travelers pay extra to offset emissions—are mentioned in the documentary as symbolic, even superficial solutions. They offer a “greenwashed” way to soothe our conscience without addressing the core problem: a mindset of consumption that treats Earth’s resources as endless.
One of my main reflections after watching this documentary was how crucial it is to inspire climate-friendly choices within our own lives. The app I want to develop shall be designed to encourage and reward people for making sustainable choices, from simple actions like reducing energy consumption to bigger ones like rethinking travel or food choices. By creating a system that rewards users for climate-conscious decisions, I hope to make sustainability feel achievable and engaging, not like a burden.
The documentary illustrated how infrastructure can support sustainable behaviors. For instance, Copenhagen has made biking the norm by implementing bike-friendly infrastructure and by making it easier for people to get around without cars. In the app, I envision features that will allow users to see the impact of their actions, whether it’s tracking how many resources they’ve saved or learning about the carbon reduction tied to their choices. Just like Copenhagen’s motivational billboards that display CO2 savings from public transport usage, this app shall help users stay aware of their positive impact.
Bridging the Gap Between Aspiration and Action
As a final thought, the documentary emphasizes the gap between the climate goals of industrialized nations and their current actions. For example, the G20 countries are responsible for 75% of global emissions and, without more drastic changes, we’re still on track for more than a 2.5°C increase in global temperatures. While some progress has been made – such as the EU’s Green Deal aimed at making Europe climate-neutral by 2050 – the documentary makes it clear that much more needs to happen.
The documentary showed me why an app that encourages small, daily changes might be of essential value. By combining incentives and accessible resources, I hope my app can empower individuals to make a difference. The film’s message is urgent: it’s time to address overpopulation through smarter consumption and by fostering sustainable choices. And in the Global North, that means facing our consumption habits head-on and making changes that can lead to a more sustainable future.
Link to the movie: https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/115507-000-A/zu-viel-konsum-zu-viele-menschen/
More insights on population growth: https://ourworldindata.org/population-growth
Sustainability in Copenhagen: https://www.wonderfulcopenhagen.com/wonderful-copenhagen/international-press/sustainability-copenhagen
Menschen für Menschen in Ethiopia: https://www.menschenfuermenschen.at/