| The surge in population is both a cause of the | | | | freedom. To minorities, population regulation is |
| changed relationship and one of the clearest | | | | sometimes seen as a form of genocide to keep their |
| illustrations of how startling the change has been, | | | | numbers and power from rising. |
| especially when viewed in a historical context. From | | | | Proponents of population regulation point to the fact |
| the emergence of modern humans 200,000 years | | | | that we are not providing adequate basic necessities |
| ago until Julius Caesar’s time, fewer than 250 | | | | for one out of five people on Earth today who don't |
| million people walked on the face of the earth. When | | | | have the opportunity to be a net economic gain for |
| Christopher Columbus set sail for the New World | | | | their country. They see people overpopulation in |
| 1,500 years later, there were approximately 500 | | | | MDCs (more developed countries) as threats to |
| million people on earth. By the time Thomas | | | | Earth's life support systems for us and other species. |
| Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in | | | | These analysts recognize that population growth is |
| 1776, the number had doubled again, to I billion. By | | | | not the only cause or our environmental and resource |
| midway through this century, at the end of World | | | | problems. They believe, however, that adding several |
| War II, the number had risen to just above 2 billion | | | | hundred million more people in MDCs and several billion |
| people. | | | | more in LDSs ( less developed countries) will intensify |
| In Other words, from the beginning of | | | | many environmental and social problems by increasing |
| humanity’s appearance on earth to 1945, it took | | | | resource use and waste, environmental degradation, |
| more than ten thousand generations to reach a world | | | | rapid climate change, and pollution. To proponents of |
| population of 2 billion people. Now, in the course of | | | | population regulation, it is unethical for us not to |
| one human lifetime – mine – the world | | | | encourage a sharp drop in birth rates and |
| population will increase from 2 to more than 9 billion, | | | | unsustainable forms of resource use to prevent a |
| and it is already more than halfway there. | | | | sharp rise in death rates and human misery and a |
| Overpopulation is often defined as the condition of | | | | decrease in Earth's biodiversity in the future. |
| having more people than can live on Earth in comfort, | | | | Despite promises about sharing the world's wealth, |
| happiness, and health and still leave the planet a fit | | | | the gap between the rich and poor has been getting |
| place for future generations. To most | | | | larger since 1960. Proponents of population regulation |
| environmentalists, the data suggest that the planet is | | | | believe this is caused by a combination of population |
| already overpopulated. Because of differing concepts | | | | growth and unwillingness of the wealthy to share the |
| of carrying capacity, however, experts differ widely | | | | world's wealth and resources more fairly. They call |
| over what level of population is considered too high. | | | | for MDCs to use their economic systems to reward |
| Some project that if everyone existed at a minimum | | | | population regulation and sustainable forms of |
| survival level, the earth could support 20 to 48 billion | | | | economic growth instead of continuing their |
| people. This anthill existence would require that | | | | unsustainable forms of economic growth and |
| everyone exist only on a diet of grain, cultivation all | | | | encouraging LDCs to follow this eventually |
| arable land, and mining much of the earth’s crust | | | | unsustainable and disastrous path for the planet. |
| of a depth of 1.6 kilometers (1 mile). Other analysts | | | | Recently, the Population Crisis Committee complied a |
| believe the earth could support 7 to 12 billion people | | | | human suffering index for each of 130 countries |
| at a decent standard of living by distributing the | | | | based on ten measures of human welfare. They |
| world’s land and food supply more equitably and | | | | found a high correlation between the level of human |
| shifting from less abundant resources (such as lead, | | | | suffering and the rate of population increase in |
| tin, uranium, oil, and natural gas) to more abundant | | | | countries. The 30 countries falling in the extreme |
| resources (such as aluminum, glass, and various forms | | | | human-suffering range--all in Africa and |
| of solar energy). | | | | Asia--averaged a high annual rate of population |
| Others opposed to population regulation feel that all | | | | increase of 2.8%. The 44 countries with a high |
| people should have the freedom to have as many | | | | human suffering rate--all in Africa, Asia, and Latin |
| children as they want. To some, population regulation | | | | America--also had an average annual population |
| is a violation of their deep religious beliefs. To others, | | | | increase of 2.8%. |
| it is an intrusion into their personal privacy and | | | | |