Many in Denial Over Rising Population

As 2008 came to a close, government leaders fretted about ongoing conflicts and economic crisis. But few admit that a climbing population exacerbates any problems, argues Mark O’Connor in an essay for the Sydney Morning Herald. O’Connor’s essay focuses on Australia as one of the few developed nations that reports an above-average birth rate. A larger population results in more pressure for the environment, climate, available water and food resources. O’Connor argues that population growth provides short-term benefits for businesses, but long-term woes for quality of life: “Population increase suits governments wanting to please the business community now, by doing something the full cost of which will only emerge over the next 20, 30, 40 or 50 years – far beyond the attention span of three-year governments.” The world population was 3 billion in 1959, 6 billion in 1999 and is predicted to grow to 9 billion before 2050. – YaleGlobal