ecology discovery foundation  ecoglobeGenève/Genf, le 29 avril 2008
Lu/rs/ghfg8624
ecostory interview
Dear ...........
As the editor of "ecostory" I will be honoured if you would spare a couple of minutes for an interview. The focus would be on the following short questions.
The earth is - by all scientific measures - hugely overpopulated. The 6.7 billion world population is over-consuming both renewable and non-renewable resources at alarming rates and ecosystems are degrading at all corners of our globe.
Whilst it is indisputably necessary to help the poor to achieve an acceptable standard of well-being, this is simultaneously increasing the human pressure upon the planet.
The basic equation applies:
I = P _ A _ T = Impact = (Population size) _ (Affluence) _ (Technology level).
One should consider that neither technology or ingenuity, nor hope or optimism, can revive lost species and rainforests or recreate depleted mineral and soil resources, for example.
The question thus becomes whether aid can be given unconditionally:
1) Can you imagine aid being linked to the obligation to stop further population increases?
2) If yes, how could such a population drive be democratically implemented?
3) Should any betterment of the lot of the poor be compensated by an equivalent or even higher reduction in resource consumption by the wealthy, overindulgent parts of the world population?
4) Would you agree that the indiscriminating goal of economic growth - measured in units of GDP - represents in fact a sure policy to accelerate the consumption of resources?
5) Can you imagine that a continued increase in the world population, in combination with resource depletion and the effects of climate change, will lead to universal resource wars and collapse of humanity?
I wish to thank you on beforehand for your kindness.
With kind regards
Helmut Lubbers
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