Whatever happened to overpopulation ?

I’m certain that I’ll be laughed at for this, but I honestly think the end is nigh for the human race
And in many respects, good riddance

FannyCornforth

I’m certain that I’ll be laughed at for this, but I honestly think the end is nigh for the human race
And in many respects, good riddance

We humans have caused a lot of problems for this planet. Don't deserve it really.

Infinity2 that has been on my mind for some time. We are using up finite resources fast and populations continue to grow. I don’t see how it can go on for ever.

Aga
Ditto

I agree Fanny. I think we're a plague on the earth. And I think the current plague may well see us off.

GagaJo both you and I have lived in New Mexico - the world is not over-populated!

Resources may be unfairly distributed and mismanaged but the physical world has plenty of space.

There is a lot wrong but the end is not nigh.

The Guardian website had an article which chimes with this discussion today: www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/25/gaya-herrington-mit-study-the-limits-to-growth?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

The headline is ‘Yep, it’s bleak, says expert who tested 1970s end-of-the-world prediction
A controversial MIT study from 1972 forecast the collapse of civilization – and Gaya Herrington is here to deliver the bad news’

The Guardian or i have had articles recently about overpopulation. It hasn’t gone away. The UN has a population division. David Attenborough, and I think Chris Packham are involved too. There are too many of us and we are ruining the planet. I expect in a few years time we will colonise Mars and ruin that too. One problem is that one of the world’s largest religions (RC) doesn’t allow artificial birth control.

This is another reason not to reduce our foreign aid budget.
Foreign aid helps women have access to contraception.

This is what 'kids in the 1960s' predicted for the future. Some thought we wouldn't be here

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-OKfcljAok

From a lot I’ve read in the past few years, inc. a piece in today’s Times, it’s not space that’s going to be the problem, but water. Today’s piece talked of ‘water wars’ in traditionally dry areas that are increasingly suffering from drought.

If the foreign aid budge had been used for population control we would not have so many people without food and man decimating forests and helping to destroy the natural world.

I’m not sure it’s that simple, Ngaio1. In countries where healthcare is poor or unaffordable, and too many children die in infancy, then until healthcare is much improved, there will IMO be many who won’t want to restrict numbers of children.

Plus of course, as in the case of vaccines even pre Covid, there have been religious or other leaders telling people that such things are a Western plot to make them infertile, and thus making people afraid of them.

DiL has been working with a charity in Kenya, contraceptive education is not enough.

They have to overcome years of patriarchy to teach women about their bodies and how they work. The village elders are not always receptive to having educated females in their midst.

Some of the tribes still live a nomadic life which makes follow up programmes difficult if not nigh on impossible.

The men of the many of these tribes achieve status by having many children especially sons.

Ngaio1

If the foreign aid budge had been used for population control we would not have so many people without food and man decimating forests and helping to destroy the natural world.

The UN Population Fund says the UK had pledged £154m for its projects but now says it will get around £23m this year.

UNFPA executive director Dr Natalia Kanem ..... estimated the £130m lost would have helped prevent about 250,000 maternal and child deaths, 14.6 million unintended pregnancies and 4.3 million unsafe abortions.

We were doing a lot for family planning. But much better to have an official yacht, clearly.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56924128

The world isn`t over populated just certain countries,ie Japan/China/some Asian countries.
The UK certainly isn`t Australia certainly isn`t.
Just more scaremongering as if we haven`t got enough to worry about at this moment in time.

Call up Sir David, tell him you know better.

www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/10/david-attenborough-warns-planet-cant-cope-with-overpopulation/

Japan doesn’t even make it into the top 10.

www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/02/these-will-be-the-worlds-most-populated-countries-by-2100

timetogo
Tell that to the people in Texas. The know why certain areas are sinking: demand on water, and why is this?
The demand isn’t for the birds it’s for the rising population.

today.tamu.edu/2021/02/08/a-sinking-situation-in-houston-texas-gulf-coast/

Good point Blossoming.

Its also worth pointing out that population density isn't the same as overpopulation.

Overpopulation is about there being too many people on the planet for the amount of resources available.

This reminds me of words from a Bob Dylan song.
He says to a girl lets go play Adam &Eve
She replies Hey man, you crazy or sumpin. You see what happened last time they started

Surely this is the challenge we now face? Make the most of what we have and take care of the planet!

Coincidentally, today is Earth Overshoot Day. We've used up all the resources that the Earth can replace this year, and there are still five months to go.

www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/earth-overshoot-day-2021-meaning-b1891981.html

Global population is set to peak in 50 yrs, nobody is tackling it because it is culturally and religiously sensitive, telling people how many children they should have breaks their human rights ( except China).
This is why trying to reduce climate change is going to fail -population is increasing and their lifestyle aspirations are increasing as well, they want what we have, cars, travel, decent housing. All of which use greater resources and energy.