dynamic, and all the types of impacts made on the environment, including those not directly mentioned in
this paper, are interrelated, blame cannot truly be laid on any one section of the world. Not on the
underdeveloped countries with the majority of the population and fastest growth, nor the developed
countries whose affluence highly exceeds that of those in the underdeveloped countries. A concerted
effort will be required by all nations to minimize their impacts.
The primary goal for most developing countries should be to reduce their fertility rates. This
will require a great deal of birth control and family planning. Medical needs and technologies will also
be required to improve conditions so that families do not feel the need to have as many children. There
is a minor fear that if conditions are improved too greatly, that these people will seek and obtain the
affluence of those in the developed countries, and potentially become even more destructive towards the
environment.
Developed countries must seek to reduce both their affluence and (environmentally bad)
technology. Government regulations must become stricter regarding the impacts made on the environment
by all sectors of the economy (industrial, residential, etc.).
Economics is closely associated with population related environmental degradation. With the
increased population comes an increase in demand for absolutely everything. Industries compete to get
their products and services out at the lowest possible cost, often without much regard towards the
environment.
Overpopulation of our planet could prove to be cataclysmic. The next few generations may live in
a world that is far, far worse off than we currently are. If society
12
is to continue along it?s current trends, the environment will collapse, and drag humanity with it. It
will simply not be enough to try and improve technology. Birth rates must be
drastically cut , in a the most humane way possible. Merely focusing on one specific aspect of these
impacts will not suffice other. The biosphere is woven in a very complicated manner. We are unraveling
it quickly, and it must be stopped to preserve Earth in all its beauty.
20
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4. Ehrlich, Paul and Ehrlich, Anne. Population Explosion. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990.
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6. Hardaway, Robert. Population, Law, and Environment. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1994.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction1
Our Population 1
Our Forests 3
Our Oceans 6
Our Atmosphere 8
Conclusions 11
Bibliography 20
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 13
Toatal Projected Population 1990 – 2100 According to Scenario
Figure 2 16
Time Series of Fuelwood and Charcoal Production
Figure 3 17
World Fish Catch, 1950 -1992
Map 1 18
Environmental Damage
Map 2 19
Global Warming
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 14
Effects of Global Warming
Table 2 15
Certainty of Climatic Change and It?s Direct Effects on Vegetation