Population & Consumption

Population & Consumption Lecture 5.9 Chapter 7

The 12 Most Populous Countries in the World

Human Population Pressures • Environmental degradation • hunger • persistent poverty • economic stagnation • urban deterioration • public health issues

MORAL Requirements of Life • balanced diet • decent shelter • adequate clothing • clean water • access to health care • literacy These lead to a higher standard of living ***Harder to to meet the requirements because countries are not achieving population stabilization. ***Less developed countries will have social, political, and economic effects on countries that have achieved population stabilization.

Requirements of Life • basic needs can’t be met without population stabilization. • 81% of world’s population lives in LDC’s • many LDC’s populations will DOUBLE by 2050

Carrying Capacity for Humans? • must make assumptions about the quality of life • the American standard for everyone on the globe?

Example: Sub-Saharan Africa • Land overuse = • crop production • overgrazing • OUTCOME: desertification b/c exceeded the Carrying Capacity of the natural system

OVERPOPULATION • the level of demand on its resources results in damage to its environment. TWO TYPES: • People Overpopulation • Consumption Overpopulation

Quality of Life Developing Nations have the largest rates of population increase BUT the fewest resources to support them.

The Fix • strategy 1: ZPG • strategy 2: Economic Development • strategy 3: Inequitable Access to Resources

Population & World Hunger THE CAUSE IS UNCLEAR

DEVELOPING NATIONS CYCLE: • Agricultural land to raise food OR • natural resources (mineral, oil, timber) to provide buying power to purchase food

Food Insecurity • South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa • UNFAO ~2 billion people worldwide • famine (~10%) -v- chronic hunger

Chronic Hunger • population • poverty • environmental problems • THESE ARE ALL INTER-RELATED.

Concensus • population pressures exacerbate food problems • Sub-Saharan Africa 300% rise in food production by 2050

Population: Resources and the Environment • Renewable -v- Nonrenewable resources • (Renewable resources are POTENTIALLY renewable!) • Economic Growth equals Exploiting Natural Resources Short term Long term exploit for conserve resources for the immediate use future

Population: Resources and the Environment DEVELOPING NATIONS: The resources essential for individual survival are small, BUT the increasing number of people overwhelm these resources

Population: Resources and the Environment In developed nations, individual resource demands surpass the minimum required for survival. • Extravagant Consumption • Throw-away Lifestyle

Population, Resources & the Environment Historical perspective of Resource use in the United States

Population Numbers & Resource Consumption • Developed Countries use more resources • 1 child Developing Countries Same amount of resources can support more people 12 children

Population and Environmental Impact: A Model Environmental Impact (I) is related to THREE factors: 1. Number of people (P) 2. Spending Power of the People (A) 3. Environmental effects of technologies used to obtain and use resources consumed (T) I = P x A x T

The Model • I = P x A xT • Will a technological advancement change Earth’s sustainable population size?

Population and Environmental Impact The model demonstrates that developing cleaner technologies is not the only key to reducing pollution. ALSO MUST CONTROL: 1. POPULATION SIZE 2. PER-CAPITA CONSUMPTION

Developed Nations • Represent only 20% of the World’s total population, but they are using more than half of the resources consumed Examples: • 86% aluminum • 76% Timber 68% energy 61% meat eaten 42% fresh water used Create 75% of the world’s pollution & wastes

Population Issues • The Quality of Life Question

Ecological Footprints • Affluence - having a lot of wealth such as money, goods, or property.

The Impact of Affluence • Gross domestic product (GDP)- the value of all products and services produced in a year in that country. • GDP is made up of consumer spending, investments, government spending, and exports minus imports. • A countries GDP often correlates with its pollution levels.

The Economic Effects • economic devel. <--> population growth

Economic Effects of Population Growth • Studies have shown: Population stabilization will promote economic development which in turn raises the standard of living. How do you raise the standard of living? Economic growth > Population growth

World Assistance for Developing Nations • Trend: Developing Nations have population growth > economic growth so, to “help” the developing countries receive loans from the World Bank or IMF. • Vicious cycle: can not raise the standard of living because the country is trying to pay off its debt accrued.

Development • large scale: • roads • power plants • dams • schools • small scale: • micro lending • communication • solar • sanitation • “to the people”

Debt • increased standard of living by: • economic growth > population growth • Not so because of financial assistance: World bank or IMF

World Assistance for Developing Nations • Strategies like this Backfire! • Example: • Sub-Saharan Africa • 1995: $ 180 million • Which is 10% greater than its output of goods and services

Debt Burden • pay interest or re-pay loan • Pilfer natural resources • Sub-Saharan Africa: 70% of their output.

Population and Urbanization • Historical trend for people to migrate to cities: opportunities. • How to define an urban area? • Rural living -v- urban living • In the United States: 5% -v-75% • Cities have grown at the expense of rural populations. • Technology of farming & cities generate opportunities

Urbanization & Population 1996: Percentage of Total Population Living in Urban Areas 75% Developed Countries 35% Developing Countries Problem, especially in developing nations: Urban growth is FASTER than the capacity of the city to provide for basic services: housing water sewage schools, waste disposal medical facilities transportation

Population & Consumption