Ecotivity - Population growth will cancel CO2 reduction targets

Population growth will cancel CO2 reduction targets

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Written by Zoe R

The UK's climate bill that aims to cut the emissions of gases that cause global warming will see the probable implementation of policies including banning the stand by button from new TVs and DVD players and the fazing-out of the sale of inefficient light bulbs. Politicians have also made more dramatic and headline grabbing suggestions including placing limits on air travel, or capturing and storing CO2 emissions from gas and coal powered power stations.

Whilst such gestures make optimistic headlines as well as capture the favor of the 'green' voter, even if Britain, Europe, the USA, and the rest of the developed world implemented measures that cut climate changing gases by 60 percent from 1990 levels by the target of 2050 it will still only provide half the solution to the global warming problem. Why? because each year the global population raises by between 60 an 70 million people each year. This means that by 2050 to reach the target CO2 emission reductions each of the predicted worlds population of around 9 billion people, each of these individuals will need to be emitting more than 70 percent less CO2 that 1990 levels.

With developing countries seeking higher standards of living for their citizens (and quite deservedly so) their consumption will also increase, meaning that all the low energy light bulbs, more efficient cars, heating boilers, and home insulation measures will end-up making little impact on the climate change problem - population growth will simply cancel-out any emission cut achievements made.

So what's the solution then? Well, nations need to ensure that population size stability becomes part of government policy, and that doesn't just mean addressing birth control in the developing nations. The UK puts its future economic strength in increasing its population through immigration and although this does not affect global population numbers it?s got to sending the wrong message to the rest of the world about the link to increasing population and prosperity. Surely prosperity without population growth must be achievable by some other means?

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