PSN contributes to Royal Society 'People & Planet' study

12 May 2011

Source: Royal Society & PSN

PSN has welcomed the opportunity to contribute to a major policy study being undertaken by The Royal Society on the role of global population in sustainable development.

Background and rationale for the study

Population is a global issue which is moving back up the agenda. In the run-up to the December 2009 Copenhagen conference on climate change, a number of academics and NGOs called for a fresh look at the factors affecting and affected by changing population. Yet debates remain polarised: some people still see population as a distraction from the more urgent imperative of reducing resource consumption in the wealthiest countries. Others argue it is an issue that will solve itself, as global population size is projected to peak and then fall from the middle of the 21st century.

The Royal Society has convened a working group of experts, chaired by Sir John Sulston FRS, to revisit some of these issues and analyse how population variables will affect and be affected by economies, environments, societies and cultures over the next forty years and beyond.

Study aims

People and the planet: the role of global population in sustainable development aims to provide policy guidance to decision makers and inform interested members of the public based on a dispassionate assessment of the best available evidence.

The scope of the study will be global, looking at changing population dynamics predicted in different parts of the world and considering how scientific and technological developments might alter the rate and impact of population changes and affect human well-being.

The study will be completed by early 2012, when the world's population is expected to exceed 7 billion. The report will be aimed at national and international policy makers, donors and funders, the media, scientific bodies and NGOs. It will be a high profile contribution to the 2012 'Rio+20' UN Earth Summit and also mark the 40th anniversary of 'The Limits to Growth'.

PSN offers insight to the enquiry

PSN has welcomed the opportunity to contribute to this valuable project, participating in a seminar at The Royal Society and submitting a consultation response to inform the study findings.

Last month PSN's Karen Newman and Sarah Fisher contributed to a workshop at the Royal Society, as part of the evidence-gathering activities of the study. The roundtable discussion brought together representatives from the NGO community to discuss population, its links with consumption and sustainable development.

With the enquiry particularly interested in successful population and consumption related policies and programmes, promotion of integrated approaches to population, health and environment issues, such as work being undertaken by Blue Ventures in Madagascar (see PSN model projects), was one of the practical suggestions put forward by PSN.

PSN submits evidence to the enquiry

Last year PSN also responded to the enquiry's call for evidence on population and consumption trends and linkages.

Amongst other messages, our submission encouraged The Royal Society to play an important role in exploring and emphasizing the importance of the complex linkages between population dynamics, patterns of consumption and pressing development issues, including climate change, poverty alleviation and availability of natural resources.

We also stressed the importance of promoting universal access to reproductive health and ensuring that the term population is no longer associated with coercive policies.

You can read our submission to the enquiry's call for evidence here.

Stay informed about the study

Further information, news and developments about the People and Planet Study is available on The Royal Society website.