I applaud your editorial regarding population growth and climate change.
Human population growth has not been adequately addressed as most probably the most significant contributor to the climate crisis we now find ourselves in - for the reasons you mentioned: land and wildlife destruction, air, water and land pollution.
We continue to fixate on insignificant near useless changes – ie: banning plastic straws – while the biggest source of pollution, human populations, continue to grow, use and pollute exponentially.
While your editorial mentions some good, sound solutions: education and financial assistance to promote family planning, and breaking the cycle of poverty, there is an additional very easy way to stabilize and hopefully reduce population growth that was promoted by Stanford University professor Paul Ehrlich, back in the ‘70’s.
It is essentially zero population growth, which is achieved by each couple producing only two children or less; thereby only replacing themselves and not adding to the population. Were a couple to produce only one child it would help to reduce the human population on this overburdened planet.
We need to look at substantive changes in our thinking about the sovereignty of humans over the planet – our swelling numbers are not only destroying planet earth but also causing suffering for ourselves and our fellow creatures of all kinds on earth.
Irene Monroe
Victoria
