C A R R Y IN G C A PA C IT Y

B Y B ET HANY MUTA NGARA

WHAT IS CARRYING CAPACITY?
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT
• CARRYING CAPACITY MEANS THE POPULATION A • IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SEEING THE AMOUNT OF A
GIVEN AREA CAN SUPPORT. CARRYING CAPACITY POPULATION AN ENVIRONMENT CAN SUPPORT
IS NOT A FIXED CONCEPT AS ADVANCES IN
TECHNOLOGY CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE
INDIVIDUAL REGIONS AND THE WORLD AS A
WHOLE
HOW IS CARRYING CAPACITY MEASURED?

• IT IS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN AN AREA

• IT IS MEASURED USING THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT OF A COUNTRY. THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IS
DEFINED AS “THE SUM OF ALL THE CROP LAND, GRAZING LAND, FOREST AND FISHING GROUND REQUIRED
TO PRODUCE THE FOOD, FIBRE AND TIMBER A COUNTRY CONSUMES, TO ABSORB THE WASTE EMITTED
WHEN IT USES ENERGY AND TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE”

• THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IS MEASURED IN GLOBAL HECTARES . A GLOBAL HECTARE IS A HECTARES

ABILITY TO PRODUCE RESOURCES AND ABSORB WASTE.
HOW IS IT MEASURED CONTINUED…

• BIOCAPACITY IS ALSO USED. BIOCAPACITY REFERS TO THE CAPACITY OF A GIVEN BIOLOGICALLY

PRODUCTIVE AREA TO GENERATE AN ONGOING SUPPLY OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES AND TO ABSORB ITS
SPILLOVER WASTES.

• UNSUSTAINABILITY OCCURS IF AN AREA’S ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT EXCEEDS ITS BIOCAPACITY

FACTORS THAT AFFECT CARRYING CAPACITY

1. TERRAIN: IT IS HARDER TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE ON 4. TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT: RICHER

MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS CAUSING A LOWER CARRYING
CAPACITY
COUNTRIES WITH ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY TEND
2. CLIMATE: EXTREME CLIMATE ZONES ARE HARDER TO GROW
TO HAVE HIGHER CARRYING CAPACITIES AS THEY
CROPS IN. I.E TOO HOT OR TOO COLD CAN MINIMISE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE BY
3. POLITICAL STABILITY: COUNTRIES THAT ARE STABLE WITH AFFORDING RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CAN CREATE
LOW LEVELS OF CORRUPTION ARE LIKELY TO HAVE HIGHER JOBS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT
CARRYING CAPACITY
WAYS TO DECREASE OR INCREASE CARRYING
CAPACITY
DECREASE IT: INCREASE IT:
• NATURAL DISASTERS CAN DESTROY RESOURCES • INCREASE FOOD SUPPLY BY IMPROVED
IN AN AREA AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION

• HUMAN ACTIVITIES SUCH AS DEFORESTATION • RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN TECHNOLOGY TO

REPLACE USE PF FINITE FOSSIL FUELS
WHAT HAPPENS IF CARRYING CAPACITY IS
EXCEEDED?

• THE AREA MAY BECOME UNSUITABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SURVIVE . THIS WILL INCREASE COMPETITION FOR
RESOURCES WHICH MAY LEAD TO WAR AND SHORTAGES OF RESOURCES I.E FAMINE.