Population Growth Driving Climate Change and Poverty

In David’s article Population growth driving climate change, poverty: experts, wingspread precautionary principle is used. He believes that the population of the earth will grow to an unstable level and birth rates need to be lowed through voluntary family planning and contraceptives. Meaning that, threats of overpopulation are present so we need to take action even if we are unsure of how dire the consequences of taking action or not may be. I agree with his reasoning, and unlike some proposed solutions to overpopulation such as the one child policy in China David’s proposition is less drastic. He states that “Ninety-eight percent of the expected population growth will occur in developing countries, especially in Africa, where numbers are set to double to almost two billion by 2050.” (David 2009) I believe that informing the public of their options, especially in the previously mentioned countries will be an effective way to significantly lower the world’s birth rate because some woman have children because they have no other options available. Critiques may say that family planning and contraceptives will not help people in developing countries because it is an economic necessity to have a large number of children. But without restricting the number of children people can have there is little that can be done other than inform them of their options. So other than financially there can be no harm done by David’s proposition making it an acceptable solution. The article is explicit in its use of the precautionary principle by stating that “Unless birth rates are lowered sharply through voluntary family-planning programmes and easy access to contraceptives, the tally of humans on Earth could swell to an unsustainable 11 billion by 2050, they warned.” (David 2009) I agree that something needs to be done soon to cease overpopulation and I believe that David’s solution would be a logical start.
"Population Growth Driving Climate Change, Poverty: Experts." New Heaven New Earth 21 Sep 2009: n. pag. Web. 19 Oct 2009. .