Abstract
It is well known that the world population is expected to increase dramatically in the next 50 to 100 years if current conditions continue. In this chapter we will describe a number of consequences of this increase for various aspects of the environment in both less developed (LDC’s) and more developed countries (MDC’s). This chapter consists of several parts. First, we will briefly describe the nature of demographic phenomena and the perception of these phenomena. Next, we will summarize views and theories on the impact of population factors, in particular population growth on the environment. This is followed by sections on patterns of population growth in both LDC’s as well as MDC’s. With respect to MDC’s we will often refer to developments in the Netherlands as an example of an MDC. In the next two sections findings will be presented which illustrate the impact of population factors on aspects of the environment in both LDC’s and MDC’s. This will be followed by two sections outlining population policies that should be followed both in LDC’s and the Netherlands in order to mitigate the impact of population growth on the environment. It is argued that a reduction in population growth is a requirement that has to be met in order to achieve a sustainable future. Conclusions and recommendations will be formulated at the end.
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van Ginneken, J., van Diepen, A. (1994). Decrease of population growth: a condition for a sustainable future. In: The Environment: Towards a Sustainable Future. Environment & Policy, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0808-9_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0808-9_13
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