Discussing the Silence and Denial around Population Growth and Its Environmental Impact. How Do We Find Ways Forward?

Abstract

Academia and government often ignore or deny the impact of population growth on the environment. However, key scientific institutions and reports confirm that population growth is a major driver of climate disruption and other environmental crises. We review the environmental science of population growth. Issues that block dialogue are discussed, such as growthism, anthropocentrism, denial, religious and cultural taboos, fear of being called a racist, the issue of rights claims, seeking political power through numbers, the framing of social justice issues, and sophistical claims regarding ‘racism’. We examine examples of denial about population in academia and government. We explore ways forward to gain dialogue, and we also consider success stories. We conclude that population growth, like overconsumption, must be foregrounded to create ecologocally sustainable economies and a sustainable future.

Net benefit of smaller human populations to environmental integrity and individual health and wellbeing

“…There has been a long-held consensus that incorporating policies and programs to reduce high fertility in developing countries is a pathway to economic development ( 292–294 ). Many have also labeled those who identify population growth as an existential challenge as “racist” and socially irresponsible for “blaming” low-income nations for overpopulation ( 295–297 ); hence, there is a reticence to engage in emotionally charged debates on the topic ( 287 , 289 ). Constructive discussion on overpopulation is further inhibited because of concerns of perceived “population control” related to past abuses arising from autocratic measures to limit fertility.…”

Nghiên cứu mối quan hệ giữa các chỉ tiêu kinh tế, tài chính, sản xuất đến sự phát triển bền vững

“…Suy thoái môi trường là tình trạng nguồn lực tài nguyên tự nhiên bị suy giảm, và môi trường bị hủy hoại vì sự tác động của con người (Orenstein, 2004). Dân số đang tăng lên đồng thời kinh tế đang phát triển đã phát sinh nhu cầu tăng cao về lương thực, năng lượng, và các tài nguyên tự nhiên khác, dẫn đến khai thác quá mức (Washington & Kopnina, 2022). Việc chặt phá rừng để mở rộng đất nông nghiệp hoặc khai thác gỗ đã làm mất đi số lượng lớn các loài động và thực vật, góp phần làm suy giảm đa dạng sinh học (Ngwenya & Simatele, 2020).…”

The Human Ecology of Overshoot: Why a Major ‘Population Correction’ Is Inevitable

“…It should also be obvious from these data and trends that any global approach to harmonizing the human enterprise with the ecosphere must include population planning. Nevertheless, until recently, the population question was out of bounds even in academia, largely on religious/cultural/humanist grounds or often spurious charges that analysts were implicitly racist [36,37]. As the ballooning costs of extreme weather, biodiversity loss, land/soil degradation, wildfires, regional famines, energy shortages, pollution, etc., affect more and more people, the obvious benefits of smaller human numbers [38] are finally dissolving the population taboo.…”