COPENHAGEN PROTOCOL MUST INCLUDE POPULATION

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Written by Sandra Kanck

Thursday, 04 June 2009 11:07

Media Release

Sustainable Population Australia

Patrons: Dr Paul Collins, Prof Frank Fenner, Prof Tim Flannery, Prof Ian Lowe, Dr Mary E White

www.population.org.au

4th June, 2009

COPENHAGEN PROTOCOL MUST INCLUDE POPULATION

FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY June 5

International discussions to prevent dangerous climate change must focus on the expanding numbers of those who cause the damage – human beings.

World Environment Day this year coincides with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings in *Bonn to prepare the agenda for critical climate change protocol formulation in Copenhagen in December. Significantly, the 2009 theme for Environment Day is: Your Planet Needs You - UNite to Combat Climate Change.

National President of Sustainable Population Australia, Ms Sandra Kanck, said, “It is time the UNFCCC decision-makers recognised that population growth compounds the problems of climate change and explored the potential to minimise population growth through renewed attention to family planning.

Currently, 41% of all pregnancies across the globe are unwanted. If we could ensure universal access to family planning and other reproductive health services, every child would be a wanted one. Tens of millions of fewer babies would be born each year. A billion fewer by 2050 would greatly reduce the challenge of climate change, as well as reduce poverty.

Other UN agencies have acknowledged population growth as an environmental problem. For instance the 2007 Global Environment Outlook Report No. 4 said: Growing population and increased consumption of energy have had a huge impact on the environment…To effectively address environmental problems, policy makers should design policies that tackle both pressures and the drivers behind them.”

Ms Kanck said that between 1970 and the present, global growth in population has accounted for virtually all growth in greenhouse gas emissions. Economic growth has been offset by reduced energy intensity of the economy.

“Australia's population growth is currently 1.8 per cent and growth in emissions is 2.0 per cent – thus, 85 per cent of our increase in emissions is due to population growth.

“In Australia where per capita emissions are very high, every new person – whether by birth or immigration - adds more to emissions than most other places on earth” said Ms Kanck.

Further information/comment: phone Sandra Kanck 08 8336 4114

* Sustainable Population Australia has formal NGO observer status for the UNFCCC meetings, presently at Bonn (where we are represented by the SPA’s National Secretary, Ms Jenny Goldie) and in Copenhagen in December.

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Population Quotes

This century has witnessed dramatic changes in two key factors that define the physical reality of our relationship to the earth: a sudden and startling surge in human population… and a sudden acceleration of the scientific and technological revolution… From the beginning of humanity’s appearance on the Earth to 1945, it took more than ten thousand generations to reach a world population of 2 billion people. Now, in the course of one human lifetime – mine – the world population will increase from 2 to more than 9 billion, and it is already more than halfway there. Global warming, ozone depletion, the loss of living species, deforestation – they all have a common cause: the new relationship between human civilization and the earth’s natural balance. - Al Gore, Former US Vice-President - "Earth in the Balance: Forging a New Common Purpose" (2007)

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - MELBOURNE 2010

DATE- MARCH 20^th 2010 at 2.00 p.m.

VENUE

University of Melbourne

Trinity College Royal Parade Parkville

Evan Burge Building

Buzzard lecture Theatre

Enter Gate A (next to Janet Clarke Hall)

Guest speaker:

Dr Bob Birrell, Reader in Sociology at Monash University.

Full Details

Media Release - SEQ Water Strategy - 10 Feb.

South East Queensland Water Strategy reveals SEQ population growth is unsustainable

High energy consuming desalination plants underpinning future water security for South East Queensland shows that the region’s population growth is unsustainable, say environmentalists.

“Detailed planning for desalination facilities at Lytton and Marcoola will commence in 2010, however, a desalination plant at Lytton shows a total disregard for the Moreton Bay Marine Park and its internationally listed values,” said Mr Simon Baltais, Vice President of the South East Queensland Branch of Sustainable Population Australia. Read On. ..

Discover biodiversity - every day

Biodiversity is the backbone of all life on earth, and its conservation lies at the very core of IUCN’s work. ‘Species of the Day’ has been launched as part of IUCN’s involvement in the International Year of Biodiversity.

With mounting scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis, it’s time to take action. “The latest analysis of the IUCN Red List shows the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss will not be met,” says Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group. “It’s time for governments to get serious about saving species and make sure it’s high on their agendas for next year, as we’re rapidly running out of time.”

Each day of 2010 will see a different species featured on the IUCN website, with information on the threats it faces. The 365 species selected represent the entire range of taxonomic groups and cover all regions. We have started by featuring some better known species, including the Polar Bear and will move on to cover plants, fungi, invertebrates and more. Both charismatic and obscure species will be featured, providing an insight into the astonishing level of biodiversity that exists.

If you would like to access the archived list of species go to www.iucnredlist.org/species-of-the-day/archives