Population growth in Australian cities is not the environmental bogeyman many people believe but may in fact hold the key to the nation’s ecological redemption.
“The [population] debate is dominated by two approaches that appear diametrically opposed,” said researcher Professor Newman.
“One involves increasing population to stimulate the economy and generate more skilled jobs, while the other advocates decreasing the number of people in order to cope with environmental pressures such as climate change.
"What we’re now saying is these two approaches are not necessarily conflicting but can in fact be complementary.”
If Australia were to transform its cities – by shifting from big resource infrastructure such as dams and power stations to smaller, decentralised systems – then it would be possible to support more people while reducing carbon emissions.
Read more at Curtin University