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TOPIC3: POPULATION. http://www.globalissues.org/issue/198/human-population. Introduction. Many of us have grown up learning and being told that 6 billion is too much and this "over population" is primarily impacting the planet's ability to cope But is that really the case?
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TOPIC3: POPULATION http://www.globalissues.org/issue/198/human-population
Introduction • Many of us have grown up learning and being told that 6 billion is too much • and this "over population" is primarily impacting the planet's ability to cope • But is that really the case? • Sure, the planet is facing incredible stress. • But how much of that is due to large populations, and how much is based on other factors
such as • how we choose to live, • how we produce, consume and waste our resources? • The poor are numerous, but as we shall see, consume far less resources of the planet
Related issues • Population Numbers • Feeding the World • Land Rights • Environment Stress
1. Population numbers • The human population of the planet is estimated to now have passed 6 billion people. • This can be seen as a success story due to improved health care and reduced infant mortality while expanding life spans.
However, a common concern is that as the population continues to increase, it will place more strain • on the environment, • on nations’ ability to provide, • On economies to grow • and on society to flourish.
World population reached 6.1 billion in mid-2000 • and is currently growing at an annual rate of 1.2 per cent, or 77 million people per year. • world population is expected to be between 7.9 billion (low variant) and 10.9 billion (high variant), with the medium variant producing 9.3 billion
Six countries account for half of this annual growth: • India for 21 per cent; • China for 12 per cent; • Pakistan for 5 per cent; • Nigeria for 4 per cent; • Bangladesh for 4 per cent, • and Indonesia for 3 per cent. By 2050
Large populations in and of themselves may not be a bad thing. • Many cities in Europe, have a higher population density compared to places we normally think of as over crowded, such as India or China. • However, it could cause problems if demands on natural resources and development increases in an unsustainable and wasteful way, • which, unfortunately is how it seems to be happening in many places today.
Is large population an issue? • There are two sides of this argument • Those who don’t see large population as an issue are; 1. Corporations and other power holders that wish to continue their current economic policies, and who see technology solving all the associated problems thus allowing populations to grow.
2. Progressive people who believe that there are enough resources to sustain even a slightly larger population than we currently have, but that will cause problems later.
The others who feel that over-population issues are affecting us now and that something must be done now, they are; • Environmentalists and other concerned citizens and activists who have a genuine concerns for people and the environment 2. People who can use this argument for racial purposes • to discriminate against immigrants, to promote eugenics, social Darwinism and so on.
These groups believe the solutions include • following draconian population reduction policies, • increasing restrictive immigration policies and so on. • Such solutions are based on class distinctions, often looking at the poor as the cause of the problems.
there were four types of reasons that population growth in poor countries could be a threat to U.S. national security: • Larger nations would gain greater political power • Populous nations would be more able to deny the West access to resources and materials
3. Growing number of younger people might be more able to challenge global power structures 4. Growing populations may be a threat to U.S. investors in those countries.
2. Feeding the World • World hunger is extensive in spite of sufficient global food resources. • The World Bank and many governments believe that lack of food is the problem, so they put their efforts on increasing food production. • But many think increased food production is no solution. • The problem is that many people are too poor to buy readily available food.
Most hungry people live in countries that have food surpluses rather than deficits • According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), we are already producing one and a half times the amount of food needed to provide everyone in the world with an adequate and nutritious diet, • yet one in seven people is suffering from hunger
The real causes of hungerhttp://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering/feeding-the-world-facts-vers • Poverty and lack of access to resources • Unfair trade regimes • Orientation of research towards industrial agriculture rather than towards the needs of marginal farmers
3. Land Rights • One important aspect about the causes of hunger is often ignored; that is, land ownership and who controls the land • Their European colonizers understood well that ownership of land gave the owner control over what society produced. • The most powerful simply redistributed the valuable land titles to themselves, leaving the native to become poor on their own land
The UN through many of its agencies, has carried out poverty alleviation programs through • land reform, • improved land management • and security of tenure,
4. Environment stress • While populations no doubt are large in many countries, and demands on resources are obviously large, • But, how much of the environmental degradation we see today is as a result of over-population and how much is due to over-exploitation due to consumerism and geopolitical interests?
The other critical issues are • consumption, • misuse of land and resources, • unsustainable Development, • ecological footprints and • the Science of ecological limits
Consumption • The real issue is not consumption itself but its patterns and effects • Inequalities in consumption are stark • Globally, • the 20% of the world's people in the highest-income countries account for 86% of total private consumption expenditures • the poorest 20% a minuscule 1.3%
Other evidence • With around 5 percent of the world's population, the US consumes about 40% of the world's resources • and emits around 21% of the worlds carbon dioxide, a greenhouse-causing gas. • The United States, however, is not over-populated, but the consumption-based life style does have its effects.
That is not to say that there are no problems in developing countries! • In India for example, Delhi is a good example of a growing city. • However, with this development come serious growing pains, such as pollution and unsustainable resource management.
Conclusions • The debate on population and its the effects on sustainable development is still ongoing • On one side we have the riches who are ready to blame poor overpopulated nations on every problem faced by mankind • On the other side, we have the poor who always feel victimized by their former masters
Each side has their own agenda and can produce facts and figures to support their views • Therefore, population issues in development will never be outdate and will always remain current and interesting
