Overpopulation and Land Clearing

We need to tackle the problem of overpopulation to reduce over-consumption of Earth’s resources and improve living standards, globally.

The Witness Earth event, from Oct 26-30 last year was just prior to the state election.  It was an opportunity for enviro/sustainability organisations to promote themselves and their issues, all in the context of thought provoking posters and videos on related themes.  Nineteen organisations, including Redlands2030, took part and 14 petitions were promoted.

Apparently about 80% of land clearing happens to create pasture for grazing.  However, at Witness Earth, all the petitions and issues in South East Queensland related to housing and infrastructure.  All were in wetlands – Toondah Harbour PDA, Eagleby and West Coolum.

Sustainable Population Australia (SPA), of which I am a member, offered a petition calling for a significant reduction in land clearing because it is so clearly driven by population growth.

Family Planning Services and overpopulation

“Overpopulation” is a trigger for many.  It evokes visions of racism, eugenics and other odious things.  It is true that past attempts to address overpopulation have involved coercive measures, but population advocates today reject that on moral grounds.

As Alicia Graves, co-founder of The Oasis Project, says “Good population policies are about giving women (and men) what they want and not telling people what to do”.  The thrust of global efforts today is to provide family planning services where needed, especially in the context of the education and empowerment of women and girls.

Growth in Australia

The year ended 30 June 2019 was typical in the pre-COVID era – total growth of 381,619 arising from net migration of 238,355 and natural increase of 143,273.

Migration is a vexed issue, so I will limit myself to two comments here:

• Our humanitarian intake – which SPA supports – was running at around 20,000 pa pre-COVID, only 5.2% of net migration; and
• More and more our leading economists are affirming that the benefits of high immigration have gone to the top end of town while wages remain stagnant.

I want to focus on natural increase with a view to reducing it to zero.

Rebecca Foljambe of the UK has shown the way with her initiative, You Before Two .  She and her team of volunteers go into schools to:

Educate and empower young women growing up in a deprived area, and to prioritise the enrichment of their minds and bodies before even considering having a baby.  Our girls are taught to look in the mirror and tell themselves it is ‘you’ that matters – to find the best ‘you’ before turning ‘you’ into ‘two’.

And they offer lessons in consent to both sexes.  Excellent!

Eradicating Poverty

Many organisations, including the UN and World Bank, embrace the aspiration of eradicating poverty.  Sure, but is it enough?

The World Bank identifies three levels of poverty the highest being consumption of $US5.50 a day.  This translates to $US 2007.50 pa.  Ouch!  By way of comparison, Hong Kong has the highest average consumption per person at $US37,903.  Australia’s is $US24,147 and the global average is about $US8,200.

For the record, an estimated 3.3 billion people lived in poverty in 2017.  Yep, 3.3 BILLION.  And 33 countries had average consumption below this poverty level, 25 of them in Africa.

I much prefer SPA’s aspiration to eradicate deprivation.  That is not defined, but clearly it would be well above $US2007.50 pa.  And according to Earth Overshoot data we are already over-consuming by 60%.

The only way we can eradicate deprivation – or poverty – and live sustainably is to significantly reduce population.

SPA’s Position and Policy Statement

I particularly refer you to SPA’s Population Position and Policy Statement.  To me, it is a shining example of humanism.

That said, what is in it for Redlands2030 and other community organisations to work hand in hand with SPA, especially when population issues are so pressing?

Well, in some states, including SEQ, there is a third driver of population growth – internal migration.

According to Metricon Queensland general manager Luke Fryer, “Interstate migration and government stimulus measures have helped boost new homes sales and building approvals across south-east Queensland”. 

SPA and organisations like Redlands2030 need to lobby for the removal of these stimulus measures, which are used to drive economic growth through population growth. This has real costs to existing residents in terms of liveability and quality of life.

---

Editor: This article about overpopulation was written by John Steley, Citizen Journalist. He provided further information about overpopulation. It is the movie 8 Billion Angels, launched globally on Earth Day. It has been dubbed “The most important film of the year” by the Rewilding Earth Institute.  Grappling with a topic that often fires passions, Producer Terry Spahr adopts a humanist approach:

“Though shrinking population growth is important, so is the manner of getting to the aforementioned goal, Spahr maintains. Doing so ethically, he reasons, will result in a much brighter future for all.”

It is now available to watch online from anywhere in the world.  Go to 8 Billion Angels  scroll down and click on the Purchase International Ticket button.  The cost is $US10.

You can also view the trailer on the website.  The panel discussion that followed the global launch of the movie can be viewed here! ,

Published by Redlands2030 -10 June 2021