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Population Matters Interview

2nd November 2011

At the end of October 2011, the UN declared that the population of the planet had surpassed 7 billion people. In the same month the fact that the UK population was to reach 70 million people by 2027 was also making the news. So Gardenandgreen.co.uk contacted Population Matters, to ask a few questions. Simon Ross their CEO kindly answered them. Here they are;

1. Firstly can you explain a bit about what Population Matters is and whats its aims are?

Population Matters is the UK's leading population concern charity. We have been in existence for around twenty years and our patrons include Sir David Attenborough and Chris Packham. We believe that growing population numbers contribute to the environmental, sustainability and quality of life issues we face.

2. The world population is going to surpass 7 billion by November
2011. What do you consider a population that the earth can
sustainably support and how do you come to that figure?

By sustainability, we mean live entirely on renewable resources. We use Global Footprint Network data. We believe a sustainable number is 2-3 billion in the long term, based on assuming everyone will have a moderate living standard of around that of Egypt and after fossil fuels have been exhausted.

3. According to the statistics the population of the earth was just
over 2 billion in the 1950's so that is an increase since then of 5
billion, what sort of damage has this increase had on the worlds
environment, such as air and water?

The impact of humanity is a combination of the growing numbers, growing affluence, and changing industrial practices. Some of the major impacts include: climate change, severe reduction in natural habitat, severe reduction in biodiversity of all kinds everywhere, pollution of waterways and some coastal regions and air pollution, particularly in cities.

Credit: Damien Brandon

4. What is the sustainable population number for the British Isles,
your old website said 30 million, what happens to the environment
beyond the figure as we are now double that number?

By sustainability, we mean live off renewable resources. Currently, we mainly live from non-renewable resources, such as oil, gas and coal, and by importing food, minerals and other resources. When the non renewable resources run out, which is inevitable, and as other countries refuse to export their resources, which will happen as their populations rise and as they industrialise, we will not be able to support the current population at current living standards. Some people think new technologies will help; on the other hand, climate change may make things worse.

Having said that, we are already degrading our environmental habitat in the UK. Natural soil fertility is falling; light, noise and air pollution are increasing; wildlife of all kinds is being reduced in general, though there are exceptions; green spaces are being lost to development; intensive agriculture makes the landscape less attractive.

5. What is your opinion about food and fishing resources, how can
these cope with an ever increasing global population, will
technology help or will agriculture not be able to produce enough
food?

We can increase food and fishing productivity through reducing waste, improving efficiency, extending agriculture into uncultivated areas and more intensive methods. However, this will be at the cost of wildlife. Secondly, climate change is likely to affect agriculture adversely through changing climate patterns, more natural disasters, loss of glacial meltwater and rising sea levels. Most importantly, though, intensive agriculture is not sustainable. It relies on large quantities of fertile soil, water from underground aquifers, and energy, especially oil, all of which are being rapidly depleted. Moreover, intensive agriculture is highly vulnerable to diseases and pests. Finally, demand is increasing, not just because of the projected rise in population from 7 billion now (it was only 3 billion in 1960) to 10 billion by 2085, but the global move to much less efficient meat based diets.

6. How will world wildlife cope with the extra numbers, as it seems the more people the more conflict there is between animals and
humans, for example Asian Elephants are already poisoned by farmers
to stop them eating crops and in Vietnam the Javan Rhino has just
become extinct, their habitat had halved since 1988?

Many species are being driven to extinction all over the world, due to loss of habitat, overexploitation, invasisve species, pollution and climate change. This has happened throughout recorded history but is increasing. Increasing human numbers will only accelerate this process. Reserves and other conservation methods are unlikely to have a significant impact.

7. Which countries are having the biggest booms in population?

Population is growing fastest in percentage terms in sub-Saharan African countries and certain Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Examples of large fast growing countries include Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines. Countries such as China and India add large numbers due to their great size. The population of the US, the UK, Canada and Australia are also growing quickly, mainly as a result of migration.

8. All of the main three parties have been hugely in favour of mass
immigration of millions into the UK, without considering the impact
on the environment. David Blunkett as Home Secretary said during the
Labour Government he saw 'no obvious upper limit to legal
immigration'. So what is the upper limit of population in the UK
before quality of life and the environment begins to really suffer?

The problem is that it is a gradual process. Quality of life in England particularly is already suffering from it being the most densely populated large country in Europe. Examples include lack of housing, small houses/ flats, overcrowded public transport, slower road journey times, loss of green spaces, loss of unspoilt countryside, noise, light and air pollution and pressure on services. The environment is also being gradually lost to development, with many species under threat.

9. An extra 10 million people in 16 years is a huge number, and is
apparently the equivalent to adding a city the size of Leeds to the
country every year. Do you know if our drinking water, sewage,
landfill and traffic infrastructure will cope with that sort of rise?

Water and sewage will increasingly be a problem, especially in the south-east. Rising extraction rates from rivers will affect wildlife. Landfill will mean more unspoilt countryside is lost, while journey times by road will get longer.