Millennium goals: the score so far (FEB)
Population, peak oil and climate change will be hot topics in Canberra next month.
Scientists and politicians from the UK, Philippines, New Zealand and Australia will
speak at the conference “Population, Peak Oil and Climate Change: their impact on
the Millennium Development Goals”.
The conference will be at Rydges Lakeside Hotel on 14 &15 March.
Professor John Guillebaud of University College London will deliver the keynote
address by videoconference link. “The Report of the UK All Party Parliamentary
Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health came to a very stark
conclusion,” says Professor Guillebaud. “The MDGs failed to take into account the
population growth factor. The Report leaves no doubt: they will be difficult or
impossible to achieve with current levels of population increase in the least
developed countries.”
Speakers at the conference include Hon Bob McMullan, Parliamentary Secretary on
International Development Assistance; Hon Andrew McNamara, Queensland Minister
for Sustainability, Climate and Innovation; Ms Jill Pettis, Chair of New Zealand
Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development; and Dr Mal Washer,
current Chair of Australia’s PGPD.
The conference is organised by Sustainable Population Australia. SPA National
President, Dr John Coulter, sees major problems in achieving the Millennium
Development Goals.
“Even eradicating hunger is going to be almost impossible,” he says. “Seventy-six
million more mouths to feed every year, changing weather patterns and extreme
weather events, rising oil prices and competition for land to grow biofuels, are all
making it harder to grow enough food. As food supplies become scarcer, people are
forced to find other areas to farm for food or to grow biofuels for sale. In the process
they cut down virgin forests and exacerbate biodiversity loss. This is totally at odds
with MDG7, namely, environmental sustainability,” says Dr Coulter.
Australia is a signatory to the Millennium Development Goals that were adopted by
189 nations during the Millennium Development Summit in 2000. There are eight
goals and include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, improving maternal
health and ensuring environmental sustainability.
Further information: John Coulter 08 8388 2153
Jenny Goldie 02 6235 5488 (conference organiser)
Nick Goldie – 02 6235 9190 (media inquiries)
See attached brochure or population.org.au/events