Common Ground FAQs
Population, Environment and Development
QUESTIONS
- What is the connection between population, environment and development?
- What are the environmental pressures?
- Why is population important?
- What is the link to reproductive health and family planning?
- What is the role of NGO’s in population matters?
- How can policy-makers help?
- What are the consequences if we don't support population activities?
ANSWERS
1. What is the connection between population, environment and development?
- Within the next fifty years, the planet's human population is expected to pass nine billion and the pressure on environmental resources will increase sharply as a result. We will not have enough land, water, or energy to meet the needs of future populations
- Slowing population growth can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, deforestation and exploitation of marine resources.
- Population issues and environmental degradation and scarcity assist in producing stresses that can reduce the functional capacity of states and reduce security, especially when combined with other economic, ethnic and governance factors.
What is the impact? - Human beings impact on the environment (1) through the resources they use, (2) the wastes they emit and (3) the land they occupy.
2. What are the environmental pressures?
Declines in available cropland and fresh water, generate various social impacts, such as population movement, economic decline, weakened government structures and poverty which can be major sources of vulnerability to civil conflict and general insecurity
3. Why is population important?
- High fertility rates can trap families and nations in a vicious circle of poverty.
- Rapid population growth helps to perpetuate poverty. Countries which invest in education, health and family planning perform best economically.
- Evidence shows that rapid population growth has slowed development and increased the numbers in poverty. When this happens development never gets the chance to begin its contraceptive effect.
4. What is the link to reproductive health and family planning?
- The provision of reproductive health services enables couples to control their fertility and have a direct impact on the demographics of their country.
- Smaller, planned families means access to better infrastructure, health and education systems and supplies of food and clean water
- Access to reproductive health education and services improves life expectancy, and maternal and infant mortality.
- Sustainable development requires slower population growth because more natural resources will continue to be used as the world population grows.
5. What is the role of NGO’s in population matters?
Their contribution depends on the prevailing conditions.
In some countries NGO’s are the only providers of information and family planning services, while in many others they play a complementary role to government programs. There are good examples of this in China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Over a quarter of all contraceptive users rely on the private sector and through social marketing contraceptives and family planning services can attract a much wider clientele.
6. How can policy-makers help?
Commitment is needed from Australian policy makers to enable individuals to satisfy their right to space and limit their families. Policy-makers can help to mobilize political commitment to reproductive health and family planning.
- Support parliamentary groups on population issues
- Call for increased funds for reproductive health
- Tabling parliamentary questions
- Draw attention to population issues in reports on development, health and the environment.
- Ensure that reproductive health concerns are incorporated into development, health and environment programs.
7. What are the consequences if we don’t support population activities?
The consequences of any shortfalls in funding and support for population activities include:
- Deteriorating reproductive health services
- More unwanted pregnancies
- Poor access to contraception
- More abortions
- Pressure on education, health care, housing, water and sanitation