15 July 2011 Volume: 21 Issue: 13 North Korea's ... - Eureka Street

Volume 21 Issue: 1315 July 2011Planet, Sachs nevertheless insisted that measures to reduce population growth must bevoluntary and not coerced.Given that world population is already at 7 billion, it is inconceivable that population sizecould be contained to 8 billion. Even though the birth rate in about 50 countries, includingChina, is already below population replacement levels, most people are living longer; andeven if couples only had two children, population would still increase well beyond 8 billion.Unless countries are prepared to implement draconian birth-control policies like China’s,realistically there is no alternative but to prepare for a world of 9 billion people. The right ofcouples to decide how many children they will have is a fundamental human right. It isinconceivable that countries would willingly sacrifice such intimate and important freedoms.Nevertheless, couples make their decisions about family size in the context of their culture,social environment and economic situation, and hence responsible decision-making will varyaccordingly. Governments also try to educate their people about the costs or benefits ofpopulation size, and provide incentives to optimise family size.Demographers have shed much light on the complex dynamics of population growth, andemphasised key factors in reducing high growth rates: alleviating poverty, improving socialsecurity, reducing child mortality, educating girls, and providing economic opportunities.The good news is that excessive population growth rates can, and in many places havebeen, reduced by improving human wellbeing and economic opportunities.Further, the projected increase in global population need not provoke a catastrophe. Wehave a wide array of new means of increasing food production and making better use ofresources to offer all people the chance of a decent and humane standard of living.We will of course need to be smarter and more modest in our use of resources, especially towind back carbon emissions and to distribute wealth more equitably.I do not for a moment underestimate the challenge before us in the next 40 to 50 years. It isa decisive moment in human history, when we have the opportunity to develop a sustainableeconomy and environment, not only to eliminate hunger and the worst poverty but to secureresources for future generations.It is an unprecedented opportunity, but it is imperative that we manage this transition well.©2011 EurekaStreet.com.au 41