Population and Sustainability Network
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LATEST UPDATES

1 May 08 - PSN's new coordinator takes over
17 Feb 08 - PSN Coordinator reply to George Monbiot published in the Guardian
17 Feb 08 - George Monbiot - Population Bombs, Guardian 29th January 2008
11 Feb 08 - Manila Women Fight Contraceptive Ban
15 Jan 08 - Uganda: Govts Urged to Address Population Growth
15 Jan 08 - Serger- Why Anxiety Over Low Population Growth?
Oct 07 - Steven Sinding Presenation, Women Deliver Conference, October
31 Oct 07 - PSN Exhibits at Global Conference
26 Oct 07 - Population features in the new UNEP Report
14 Sep 07 - PSN Coordinator's letter in response to William Laurance's article in the New Scientist published
14 Sep 07 - IUCN, the World Conservation Union, joins the Network
01 Sep 07 - New Scientist writes about how efforts to slow global warming will never work if conservatives of all kinds keep blocking women's access to contraception
31 Aug 07 - Population growth and impending food crises
15 June 07 - World Environment Day took place on June 5th 2007 in London - PSN benefited from the event
05 June 07 - Two more advisors join PSN

Click here for 2006/2007 updates

  

Welcome to the Population and Sustainability Network

The Network has been established to clarify and communicate the importance for sustainability of both population and consumption factors.  It aims to bring together development, environment and reproductive health NGOs, government departments, academics and others, to increase leverage on population issues.

It endeavours to provide a 'space' in which different constituencies can learn from each other. It is hoped that such increases in understanding of the issues will inform the strategies and activities of Network members.

The Network is UK based, but it has links with a broad range of overseas organisations, and is seeking to promote closer co-ordination among these.

To register your support, please visit our guest book: read more.

To offer support, please visit the section on Friends of PSN: read more

The overarching concept of the Network - The Population Coin

On one side of the coin
The economic, social and environmental consequences of population growth for sustainability. This mainly applies to the majority (developing) world.

   On the other side
The consequences for sustainability of high levels of consumption per capita (with particular reference to CO2 emissions). This mainly applies to the minority (developed) world.
Image of coin: Unsustainable Population Increase   Image of coin: Over-consumption of Resources

The Impact of Population Increase

It is unrealistic in many cases to argue for no population growth at all, certainly in the short run.

However there is a rate of increase, varying with circumstance, above which key development goals of poverty alleviation, per capita productivity and investment in healthcare and education become significantly compromised.

The economy at local level is unable to support such increase, with high resultant unemployment, emigration to towns, urban deprivation and breakdown of traditional community structures. At the same time, there is a strong correlation between large average family size and instance of poverty.

An equally relevant aspect of the population growth factor, requiring clearer definition, relates to its impact on sustainability in a finite physical environment by contributing to degradation of land, pollution and loss of biodiversity.


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