Final answer:
The underlying issue to all environmental problems is human population growth, which leads to unsustainable resource use, habitat destruction, climate change due to fossil fuel emissions, and various forms of environmental degradation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The underlying issue to all environmental problems can be attributed primarily to human population growth. As the human population expands, the demand for resources increases, leading to issues like unsustainable resource use, habitat destruction, and overexploitation of wildlife populations. Furthermore, climate change is exacerbated by the excessive use of fossil fuels, which is often linked to the energy needs of growing populations. Notably, the increased emission of greenhouse gases as a result of fossil fuel consumption is a critical factor in global warming.
In India, for example, environmental degradation manifests as severe water pollution, air pollution due to coal burning and increased vehicle emissions, as well as deforestation. Global challenges such as deforestation, fisheries collapse, species loss, and climate alteration often scale with population growth. Without the discovery and use of fossil fuels, it is uncertain whether these issues would exist at their current scale. The future brings uncertainty in our ability to curb human population growth and adequately protect our environment.