People in the Balance

The world's population increased 20-fold in the second millennium.

What are the links between population growth, environmental degradation and poverty?

Among the key findings in Population Action International's new report on People in the Balance: Population and Natural Resources at the Turn of the Millennium:

• 505 million people currently face water scarcity.

• The number of people living in countries where cultivated land is critically scarce is projected to increase to between 557 million and 1.04 billion in 2025.

• Today about 1.8 billion people live in 40 countries with critically low levels of forest cover.

• Most of the world's ocean fisheries are already being fished to their maximum capacities or are in decline.

• More than 1.1 billion people live in areas that conservationists consider the most rich in non-human species and the most threatened by human activities.

The study notes that “one hopeful sign for the new millennium is that population growth is slowing significantly,” easing the strain on natural resources. Among the actions recommended to ensure that population growth continues to slow:

1. Family planning and related services should be made available to all who seek them;

2. More girls should be able to attend and remain in school; and

3. More women should have the same economic opportunities men enjoy.

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