Most of the problems confronting the world come down to population growth. But where women are given the choice, they limit the number of children they have.
Matthew E. Kahn, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
A 1972 report warned that unchecked consumption could crater the world economy by 2100. Fifty years and much debate later, can humanity innovate quickly enough to avoid that fate?
Many people think a population policy is about control – like the one-child policy in China, for instance. But modern population policies are about population-well-being.
People think migrants are draining Australia’s resources. But if we were to cut down on migration, it would also make sense to introduce policies that limit numbers of international tourists.
In the 70s, Whitlam tried to build new, big cities. But this was too costly. Now the most viable solution for Australia’s population woes is to make existing cities bigger.
Fifty years ago biologist Paul Ehrlich published ‘The Population Bomb,’ an apocalyptic warning that overcrowding would lead to wars and famine. Here’s what the book got right and wrong.
Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Models Theme Leader for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University