AN ESSENTIAL GLOBAL CONNECTIONS ISSUE POPULATION GROWTH AN ESSENTIAL GLOBAL CONNECTIONS ISSUE

AGENDA • Managing global population • Demographic Transition Model • Global population & poverty • What is Canada’s role?

GLOBAL POPULATION ISSUES Dealing with overpopulation is a concern for many countries. Exponential population growth means governments need to be concerned about how to support and manage an ever-increasing number of people! Many initiatives to reduce population have been tried such as: family planning, contraception, and even legislation. China, for example, had a long-standing “one child per family” law that has only recently begun to be relaxed.

GLOBAL POPULATION ISSUES Thus, the question is: “Should governments control population growth?” Chinese propaganda poster reading “One couple only produces one child.”

EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED Small changes can have long-lasting and far-reaching results as demonstrated on page 238 in the text. In particular, a country’s current Total Fertility Rate can be a good indicator of it’s future. Total Fertility Rate: the average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime.

DEVELOPING STATISTICAL MODELS Populations within countries change over time in a predictable manner as they become more industrialized. To track this kind of data, a “statistical model” is required – the means a way to effectively sort and explain the data. The Demographic Transition Model, created by British economist and demographer Thomas Malthus is one way. Thomas Malthus (aka Tommy-boy to his friends and family).

POPULATION PROJECTIONS Malthus’s demographic model traces a country’s path from a: high birth rate and high death rate demographic pattern to a low birth rate and low death rate pattern. Which countries might fit each of Malthus’s starting and ending points above? Why? How do you know? Are you sure?

THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION MODEL The concept of demographic transition is simple if you consider the meaning of the two words. Demographic refers to population, while a transition is a gradual change. Thus, it is a gradual population change. Our job is to identify what has been changing, and what caused the change… What are some reasons a population might undergo significant changes to its makeup? (Hint: check page 239 in your text.)

STUDYING THE TRANSITION MODEL The Demographic Transition Model uses 4 stages for country development and population growth. READ: pages 240-244 RESPOND: questions 1 and 3 on page 243 using the chart provided. RESPOND: questions 1 – 4 on page 244 RECCOMENDED READING: CHAPTER 11 (PAGES 237 – 249)