Greenhouse gas emissions are forecast by most G20 countries to fall over the next 40 years, or at least that is what legislation is demanding. The world population is expected to increase by 3 billion or roughly 50 per cent in the same period. A report by the Optimum Population Trust, oublished today, agrues that the best way to reduce emissions is to curnb population growth. It argues that this is cheaper than the alternatives. The proposition for many is unpalatable but linkage remains valid.
Further as the world grows its population, it also further urbanises and urbanisation has historically brought with it higher expectations on living standards. This expectation is not about to change especially when developing countries like India and China assert a right to higher living standards at the potential expense of increasing their emissions.
As a socirty and as a world, we do need to begin debating the impacts of population growth and even consider ways of restricting it. It is, and has been, the greatest contributor to man made greenhouse gases. The propositionis difficult, because population growth is also a great economic driver which most Western countries depend on. The Optimum Population Trust report is in parts a little self serving, but its premise is correct. It can be read at www.optimumpopulation.org/reducingemissions.pdf
