Chapter 9 Addressing Population Issues

Overview of Chapter 9 Population and Quality of Life Population and Chronic Hunger Economic Effects of Population Growth Reducing the Total Fertility Rate Culture and Fertility Social and Economic Status of Women Family Planning Services Government Policies and Fertility China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Europe Achieving Population Stabilization

Basic Requirements of Life Balanced Diet Clean Water Decent Shelter Adequate Clothing

Population and Quality of Life Difficult to meet basic needs in developing countries Problems associated with overpopulation: Environmental degradation Hunger Persistent poverty Economic stagnation Urban deterioration Health issues

Carrying Capacity Carrying Capacity (K) The maximum number of individuals of a given species that a particular environment can support for an indefinite period, assuming no changes in the environment Overuse of land can cause a decrease in carrying capacity Uncertain what the carrying capacity of the earth is for humans

Human Carrying Capacity In order to estimate human carrying capacity assumptions must be made about our quality of life Should everyone in the world have the same standard of living as the average US citizen? If so, planet could only support a fraction of the humans if everyone had the barest minimum of food, clothing, and shelter What future technology might be developed that would change the carrying capacity

Developing Nations On a national level, developing countries have the largest rates of population increase Often have the fewest resources to support their growing numbers If a country is to support its human population, it must have either the agricultural land to raise enough food for those people or enough of other natural resources, such as minerals or oil, to provide buying power to purchase food.

Population and Chronic Hunger Food insecurity Condition in which people live with chronic hunger and malnutrition More than 800 million people in the world do not have food security 86 countries are considered low income and food deficient FAO estimates that as many as 2 billion people face food insecurity intermittently as a result of poverty, drought, or civil strife

Population and Chronic Hunger Effects of Chronic Hunger Weakened immune system Illness and disease Malaria Measles Diarrhea Acute respiratory illness Accounts for 90% to 95% of world’s hungry people Famine only accounts for 5% to 10%

Population and Chronic Hunger Solving the Food Problem Control population growth Promote economic development of developing countries without adequate food supplies Provide access to food and land resources to those who live in areas without them

Hunger and Child Mortality

Economic Effects of Population Growth Two viewpoints from economists: Population growth stimulates economic development and technological innovation Rapidly expanding population hampers developmental efforts Most observations support the second viewpoint Developmental efforts are also hampered by debt from past development attempts

Debt in Developing Countries If a country is to raise its standard of living, its economic growth must be greater than its population growth Many developing nations have realized economic growths due to loans from banks and governments of highly developed nations, or the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund Many nations have difficulty raising their standards of living due to tremendous debts

Reducing the Total Fertility Rate Three major influences on total fertility rate Cultural traditions Social & economic status of women Family planning

Cultural Traditions Culture influences and controls individuals’ behaviors Marriage age Couple is expected to have large number of children Due to high infant and child mortality rates Children often work in family business Provide support for aging parents Religious values

Social & Economic Status of Women Gender inequality is common worldwide Disparities Political participation Social status Economic status Health status Legal rights Education Employment and earnings Illiteracy in 2002 Single most important factor affecting high total fertility rates is low status of women

Marriage Age and Fertility Total fertility rate is affected by the average age women marry, which is determined by the laws and customs of the society in which they live Women who marry are more apt to bear children than women who do not marry The earlier a woman marries, the more children she is likely to have

Educational Opportunities and Fertility Women with more education Marry later Have fewer children

Educational Opportunities and Fertility Education increases the probability that women will know how to control their fertility, and it provides them with knowledge to improve the health of their families Decrease in infant and child mortality Children who are educated have a greater chance of improving their living standards, partly because they have more employment opportunities

Family Planning Services Traditionally family planning services have focused on maternal and child health, including prenatal care to help prevent infant and maternal death or disability In many countries men make reproductive decisions regarding contraceptives

Family Planning Services Family planning services offer information to both men and women on: Sexuality Contraception STDs Parenting

Family Planning Services Most effective when they are designed with sensitivity to local social and cultural beliefs Do not try to force people to limit their family sizes, rather attempt to convince people that small families are acceptable and desirable

Contraceptive Use Among Married Women of Reproductive Age Green Bar – Contraceptive Use Red Bar – Total Fertility Rate

Government Policies and Fertility- China Largest population in the world Controversial Family Planning Policy 1971- Chinese Government pursued birth control seriously 1979- Incentives to promote later marriages and one-child families Medical care, schooling for child, preferential housing, retirement funds Brought about rapid and drastic decrease in fertility

Government Policies and Fertility- China Law – controversial and unpopular Compromised freedom of choice Social pressure to abort a second child Pressure to abort/kill female first child More boys than girls in China Law more relaxed in rural China

Government Policy and Fertility- India Severe population pressure 1950- first country with government-sponsored family planning Did not work due to language/cultural barriers 1976- introduced incentives and compulsory sterilization Unpopular and failure Recent years- government focused on education Much more effective, but TFR still above replacement level

Government Policy and Fertility- Mexico Young age structure Huge potential for population growth: 33% of population is under age 15 Positive growth momentum 1974- government imparted educational reform, family planning, health care Very successful

Government Policy and Fertility- Nigeria Population challenge Largest population of any African country Very high reproductive potential: 43% of population is less than age 15 Current National Population Policy Improving health care Population education

Government Policy and Fertility- Europe Population concern Proportion elderly people in population is increasing Due to low TFR Decrease in population could cause decrease economic growth

Achieving Population Stabilization How can developing country governments help? Increase $$ allotted to public health and family planning services Education on affordable, safe, effective methods of birth control Increase average level of education Especially for women How can developed country governments help? Provide financial support Supporting research and development of new birth control methods