Why ppulation ers Why does population matter?

1 Population Matters

Why does population matter?

Today’s problems

Today’s problems are increasingly

pressing. The scale and pace of

biodiversity loss, climate change, resource

depletion and population density should

be a matter of concern for us all. Those

who think humanity will prosper on the

basis of ever more industrialisation or

prospective technologies are gambling

with the prospects of future generations

and neglecting the rights of other species.

We naturally love children. We want them

to grow up loved, healthy, well-nourished

and well educated, in a safe and pleasant

environment. Today, only a small

proportion grows up in such

circumstances. Looking ahead, climate

change and resource over consumption

means that even those born into

fortunate circumstances may not be able

to guarantee the same circumstances for

their own children and for later

generations.

The reasons include consumption levels

that vary widely between rich and the

poor, both within and between countries;

over consumption and waste of resources

by the richest countries; finite resources:

the greater the number of people, the

fewer resources are available for each

individual.

Solutions may be available: technology

may find ways to reduce carbon dioxide

production, the main cause of global

warming, and we will make some

improvements to the efficiency of food

production. Individuals can also make a

contribution by, for example, eating less

meat or by travelling less; political will and

the changing of commercial priorities

could produce a more equitable

distribution of resources. Finally,

stabilising and then reducing the world’s

population will lessen the pressure on

resources, for both mankind and other

species.

The environment

We rely on the world’s ecosystems and

rich biodiversity for everything we need to

exist, from the regulation of our

atmosphere and the

pollination of plants

to the creation of

important new

medicines and crops.

The value of

biodiversity lies in

both the range of species and the genetic

differences within species.

We are reducing this crucial diversity

through development, exploitation and

Why ppulation ers Why does population matter?

2 Population Matters

pollution; our numbers and activity

increasingly encroach on the natural

world. In the deep past, our planet has

experienced five major extinctions, the

most recent being the extinction of the

dinosaurs probably by asteroid impact.

Scientists now describe the current major

extinction as the Anthropocene, because

it is caused by humanity. Our impact on

biodiversity takes many forms, and

population growth contributes to them

all. Climate change, itself caused by

humanity, is also playing a part in the

rapid decline of global biodiversity.

In summary, the more of us there are, the

greater is our impact on the environment.

Population in the past and in the future

The story of our species is one of

remarkable success. From a starting point

in Africa, our ancestors spread across the

planet, harnessing local resources and

adapting to the harshest environments.

While some societies collapsed once they

had exhausted local resources, and other

groups migrated to new lands or fought

wars over diminishing local resources, the

overall picture was one of continued

growth. As technological advances

enabled our ancestors to increase

agricultural output, our numbers grew.

Thus, in the 18th Century, a step-change in agricultural productivity helped world population to rise dramatically, so that by 1800 there were one billion of us on the planet.

The industrial revolution initiated a huge increase in global trade while public health improved tremendously — both changes enabled population to further increase. As recently as 1930 though, in our parents’ or grandparents’ youth, world population was only some two billion, compared with the seven billion living on the planet now.

Later, in the

mid 20th

Century,

increased

agricultural

productivity

achieved

through the

Green Revolution allowed population

numbers to double again between 1950

and 1990 to six billion people.

Nevertheless, our dependence on natural

resources remains absolute. The lack of

open discussion about this topic means

most people are not aware that our high

numbers today are doing such damage to

the planet, and are such a recent

phenomenon.

Industrialisation and rising standards of

living are also increasing each person’s

Why ppulation ers Why does population matter?

3 Population Matters

consumption of water, energy and

materials as well as food, and putting

already limited space and amenities under

yet more pressure. Our lifestyles and the

technology we use are driving

overconsumption, leading to serious

consequences as resources run low.

Population growth rates worldwide are

declining but absolute numbers are still

rising at one and a half million every

week. Numbers are now projected to rise

from seven billion in 2010 to between

eight and eleven billion by 2050. It is

unlikely that an equivalent increase in

food production can be repeated without

the use of significantly more energy,

water and fertiliser, inputs which are

themselves limited and may also be

vulnerable to climate change.

Broader estimates range from eight to 11

billion, depending on whether and how

effectively reproductive and development

programmes are implemented in

developing regions of the world to

address the key drivers of population

growth: the lack of reproductive health

and contraception, lack of women’s rights

and poverty. In some countries, migration

already contributes significantly to the

increase in population and this trend will

continue.

The population trends projected by the

UN vary enormously by region:

Africa and much of Asia are

predicted to grow significantly

the Americas are expected to grow

somewhat

Europe is predicted to stabilize.

Universal access to reproductive health

services is one of the main factors that

help to reduce birth rates and hence

population growth. Improvements made

to infrastructure, wide availability of

modern contraceptives and women’s

empowerment — including both

education and career opportunities — all

contribute to significantly lower and

therefore much more sustainable birth

rates.

Economic development also helps to lift

women out of the high birth rate poverty

trap.

Across the planet, societies face other

population challenges, including ageing,

migration and the introduction of

appropriate population goals.

What can one do?

True sustainability means providing every

person now alive, as well as generations

yet to come, with a reasonable standard

of living that can be maintained into the

foreseeable future.

Why ppulation ers Why does population matter?

4 Population Matters

Today humanity is using the resources of

the equivalent of 1.5 Earths. This means it

now takes the Earth one year and six

months to regenerate what we use in a

year. Present lifestyles in the richer

countries have a disproportionate impact.

For example, the ecological footprint per

capita of the USA is more than 10 times

that of Malawi or Mozambique.

Some expenditure, such as those on arms

or promotional

activity, could

arguably be

reduced if

society’s focus

was more on

human happiness

and less on GDP growth and state and

commercial competition. As an individual,

there are several things that you can do to

help ensure the world is worth living in for

future generations.

You can decide to have two or fewer

children. This will be one of the most

environmentally important decisions you

ever make and should be part of an

environmentally responsible lifestyle. You

can support Population Matters and help

to raise awareness of the effects of

overpopulation on the environment. The

more widely the subject is discussed, the

more widely population will be recognised

as the key driver of the looming

environmental crisis, and the sooner any

remaining notion that it is a ‘taboo’

subject will disappear.

As a media customer, you can complain

about articles and programmes that

discuss sustainability or the environment

yet ignore population even though it is

relevant.

As a voter, you can ask your local and

national political leaders to recognise

national and global population growth as

a serious environmental problem.

Finally, as a citizen, you can contribute by

consciously living more sustainably in

other ways. This depends on both big

decisions such as whether or not to go on

a long-haul flight, and the large number of

smaller choices you make on a day-to-day

basis: waste less, reuse and recycle more,

consume less meat and fewer dairy

products, resist the blandishments of our

consumer culture and decide which

‘benefits’ of modern society really matter

to you.

Population, the embarrassing subject we

prefer to ignore

There are many established charities and

campaign groups that recognise this and

work in the fields of green technologies,

green lifestyles, conservation, sustainable

development, poverty alleviation, social

justice, family planning and women’s

rights. Their work is important and

something we support. However, for

cultural, religious, and historical reasons,

they shy away from addressing the main

Why ppulation ers Why does population matter?

5 Population Matters

cause of many of today’s problems, the

unrelenting growth in human numbers.

They wrongly feel that even talking about

the benefits to society of smaller families

is the start of a slippery slope to state

control of procreation, despite the

abundant evidence that people generally

welcome the support they need to

manage their own fertility.

Population Matters

Population Matters exists to provide

evidence and to raise awareness of the

urgency and importance of problems

associated with the increasing global

population. We also offer solutions and

challenge those who deny this reality.

Briefing by Simon Ross - August 2013

Population Matters is the UKs leading charity concerned with population and sustainability.

135-137 Station Road, London E4 6AG UK +44 (0)208 1239116 www.populationmatters.org

Company registered in England 3019081 Charity number 1114109