The Emissions Elephant in the Room

A chart showing human population growth over the last 25,000 years rises steeply at its end. In just 100 short years, we have grown from 1.6 billion to 6.9 billion people on the planet. In the 20th century, amidst this unprecedented population growth, emissions of CO2—one of a number of greenhouse gasses—increased by more than 12 times. Current estimates are that by 2050 the number of humans on earth will exceed nine billion, which will in turn drive already unsustainable emissions even higher.

For years, environmental activists have been making the connection between rapid population growth and environmental degradation, but the topic is finally receiving mainstream scientific attention. The National Academy of Sciences of the United States has recently published a study in its peer-reviewed journal (PNAS) that shows that successfully slowing population growth could reduce future emissions by as much as 29%, far more than alternative energy development, environmental cleanup or other commonly proposed solutions.

Of course, population stabilization is a tricky topic to address. While a 2008 study by the Population Media Center showed that 18-24 year olds understand that there is a strong link between the growing population and climate change, only 35% believe that having fewer children will help protect the environment. The implication of human migration on population growth of individual nations continues to spark intense controversy as well. However, the unsustainable growth of the human population is not a political or ideological issue. In light of the PNAS study, it is clear that a worldwide effort needs to be made to stabilize the population, and it must be done in a way that ensures the rights of individuals and promotes more equitable societies worldwide.

How can we educate people about the proven impact of population growth on climate change, energy and natural resources? What are the main factors in population growth? What are some of the most effective ways to slow population growth while simultaneously enhancing human rights?