From SHEILA DAVIS
While the editorial ‘Too many people?’, (Comment, 2 May) makes the point
that the overconsumption of the rich countries is at the expense of the
environment and the poor countries, it does so while trying to minimise
the effect of population growth on the environment.
Rather than this North versus South, rich versus poor, developed versus
developing country attitude that is festering in the lead-up to the Earth
Summit, perhaps we should admit that it is the combined issues of overconsumption
and overpopulation which are threatening the future of life on Earth.
We cannot ignore the fact that population growth is a key factor. Here
in Queensland, where we have the fastest rate of population growth of any
state in Australia, future economic growth for anyone may be difficult to
achieve because our ecologically sustainable economic output may have already
been reached. If we do increase the yield from fisheries, forests, farms
and mines to maintain our per-capita incomes, we will further degrade these
resources for future generations.
Sheila Davis Thornlands, Queensland Australia
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