TITLE:
Impact of population growth.

AUTHOR:
Ehrlich PR, Holdren JP.

SOURCE:
Science 171(3977): 1212-1217. March 26, 1971.

ABSTRACT:
There have been some questionable assertions relating to population growth. The most serious of these is the notion that the size and growth rate of the U.S. population are only minor contributors to this country's adverse impact on local and global environment. The discussion in this article centers around 5 theorems which demonstrate the following: 1) population growth causes a disproportionate negative impact on the environment, 2) the control of population is necessary but not sufficient means of seeing us through the whole crisis of environmental deterioration, 3) population density is a poor measure of population pressure, 4) environment as a term must be broadly construed to include physical environment of urban ghettos as well as the human behavioral environment, and 5) theoratical solutions to out problems are not operational and some times are not solutions. The paper concludes that population control, the redirection of technology, the transition from open to closed resouce cycles, the equitable distribution of opportunity and the ingredients of prosperity must all be accomplished if there is to be a future worth living.

YEAR:
1971

PIP#:
712677