Population and environment – what's the connection?
Further reading
August 2005, pages 27-29
Ecological footprints pose hard questions (by Lord Robert May)
Describes the imprint of humanity on Earth.
April 2005, pages 34-35
The biology of civilisation (by Stephen Boyden)
Questions whether we have the capacity to abandon maladapted cultural practices.
November/December 2004, pages 38-40
Evergreen revolution (by Stephen Luntz)
May 2002, pages 33-36
The future fertility of mankind (by Roger Short)
Suggests that foreign aid should be directed to family planning programs in neighbouring countries.
March 2002, pages 15-16
Foreigners in a strange land (by Tim Flannery)
Argues that a sustainable future for Australia's environment depends on developing a population policy.
October/November 2008, pages 36-41
A new bottom line (by David Suzuki)
Considers the effects of exponential population growth on the environment.
June 2010
Issue 91 contains a range of articles on population.
2 Aug 2001, pages 543-545
The end of world population growth (by Wolfgang Lutz, Warren Sanderson and Sergei Scherbov)
Describes concern about the consequences of human population growth for the environment and for social and economic development.
26 September 2009, pages 34-43
The population delusion
A special feature presenting different opinions on the problem of overpopulation.
3 November 2007, page 13
‘Humanity at risk’ from ecological debt (by Catherine Brahic)
Reports human consumption has exceeded the planet’s ability to regenerate.
30 September 2006, pages 47-50
Enough already (by Anne Ehrlich)
Looks at the 'baby gap' phenomenon and suggests a figure for an optimal world population.
2 April 2005, page 8-11
Planet in peril
Special report on the impact of humans on the environment.
19 March 2005, page 26
Science to offer hope to Africa (by David King)
UK's chief science advisor says that African countries need their own science and technology base to improve the lives of their people.
20 November 2004, page 6
Species dying out faster than ever (by Duncan Graham-Rowe and Bob Holmes)
The 2004 Red List reveals that all major animal and plant groups are affected, with growing human populations causing much of the damage.
April 2005, pages 19-20
How many earths? (by Jacqueline McGlade)
Describes how Europe's standard of living is rooted in the overuse of resources from other parts of the world.
April 2005, pages 30-31
Beating the 'resource curse' (by Emil Salim)
Describes how environmentally, socially and economically sustainable development is needed to avoid conflicts over resources.
May 2006
Social cohesion and demographic challenges
An interview about the facts relating to demographic change and about what can be done to alleviate the effects.
2 October 2009
Another inconvenient truth: The world’s growing population poses a Malthusian dilemma (by David Biello)
Comments on the problems of population growth, agriculture and the environment.
10 June 2009
Population and sustainability (by Robert Engelman)
Discusses the problems associated with rapid population growth and the ability to limit growth through education and availability of birth control.
July 2007, pages 58-63
An earth without people (by Steve Mirsky)
An interview with Alan Weisman on what the world would be like without people.
September 2006, page 21
Lower fertility: A wise investment (by Jeffrey Sachs)
Looks at some of the advantages of voluntary reductions in population growth in poor nations.
April 2005, page 17
The lion's share (by Roger Doyle)
Describes researchers efforts to measure the human impact on global resources.
September 2005, pages 26-33
Human population grows up (by Joel E. Cohen)
Describes important changes in world population distribution, age and birthrate.
July 2005, page 18
Baby boom origins (by Roger Doyle)
Lists the forces that may have led to postwar births.
February 2002, pages 70-79
The bottleneck (by Edward Wilson)
Considers the environmental footprint of the global human population.
Page updated July 2010.