1. Human Population Growth
How does wealth, poverty, the status of women and family planning affect population growth?

2. Contrast the views of environmental scientist with those of cornucopian economists and policy makers regarding whether population growth is a problem.
Name several reasons why population growth is commonly viewed as a problem.

3. How does the demographic transition model explain the increase in population growth rates in recent centuries?
How does it explain the recent decrease in population growth rates in many countries

4. Why are the empowerment of women and the pursuit of gender equality viewed as important to controlling population growth?
Describe the aim of family-planning programs.

5. Why do poorer societies have higher population growth rates than wealthier societies?
How does poverty affect the environment?
How does affluence affect the environment?

6. Apply the IPAT model to the example of China provided in the chapter
Apply the IPAT model to the example of China provided in the chapter. How do population, affluence, technology and ecological sensitivity affect China’s environment?
How do population, affluence, technology and ecological sensitivity affect the United States’ environment?

7. Think It Through
India’s prime minister puts you in charge of that nation’s population policy. India has a population growth rate of 1.6% per year, a TFR of 2.7, a 49% rate of contraceptive use, and a population that is 71% rural. What policy steps would you recommend and why?

8. Think It Through
Now suppose you have been tapped to design population policy for Germany. Germany is losing population at an annul rate of 0.2%, has a TFR of 1.3, a 66% rate of contraceptive use, and a population that is 73% urban. What policy steps would you recommend and why?

9. Think It Through For each country
a. Why are you concerned about your population growth as a country?
b. What is your goal?
c. What is your plan to reach that goal?
(Steps your country will take, Time frame for accomplishing your goal)
d. How will you implement your plan?
e. How will you address disagreement within your country about your plan?
f. What results are you hoping to have after your plan is implemented?