Sustainable development aims at improving human well-being, particularly by alleviating poverty, increasing gender equality, and improving health, human resources and stewardship of the natural environment. Because demographic factors are closely linked to their goals, strategies that consider population have a better chance of success. Accordingly, the international conference on population and development in Cairo in 1994 recognized that population policy should be oriented toward improving social conditions and expanding choices for individuals. The key recognition was that focusing on people-their right, capabilities and opportunities would have multiple benefits for individuals, for society and for their sustainable relationship with the environment. Hence consideration of sustainable development policies must include population growth and distribution, mobility differential vulnerability, and the empowerment of the people, especially women.

WORLD POPULATION CHANGE

We live in a world of unprecedented demographic change. Global population increased by 2 billion during the last quarter of the 20th century, reaching 6 billion in 2000. Despite declining fertility rate, population increase by another 2 billion during the first decades of the 21st century bringing the total to 8 billion. Nearly all of this growth occurred in developing countries and is concentrated among the poorest communities and in urban areas. We also live in a world of unprecedented demographic diversity. Traditional demographic grouping of countries are breaking down. Over the next 25 years increases in population in sub-Sahara Africa, South Asia and the Middle East are expected to be larger than the past quarter century, and growth in North America will be substantial as well. In contrast, in most European countries and in East Asia, population growth has slowed or stopped, and rapid population aging has become a serious concern. Mortality also varies widely across regions, with the burden of infectious disease, including HIV/AIDs, being particularly heavy in Africa. In additions, levels of mobility, urbanization and education differ substantially among and within regions, affecting economic and health out looks. This diversity presents different challenges requiring differentiated response. The most urgent of these occur where rapid population growth, high level of poverty and environmental degradation coincide.

POPULATION MATTERS TO DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT

Research has shown that changes in population growth, age structure and special distribution interact closely with the environment and with development. Rapid population growth has exacerbated fresh water depletion, climate change, and biodiversity loss, depletion of fisheries and other coastal resources, and degradation of agricultural lands. Fertility decline in high fertility countries, by slowing population growth, can make many environmental problems easier to solve. It can also have important economic benefits by reducing the number of children relative to the working-age population and creating a unique opportunity to create investments in health, education, infrastructure and environmental protection. In high income countries, the environmental impact of population growth and distribution must be considered jointly with high consumption rates. Even in countries where little growth is envisioned, unsustainable patterns of consumption have global implications for the environment and human are well-being, and must be addressed with appropriate policies. Before the end of this decade, the majority of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Urbanization can improve people’s access to education, health and other services. But it also creates environmental health hazards, such as water and air population, and by increasing consumption can have environmental impact in distant rural areas as well. The mobility and spatial distribution of populations, especially at local and regional scales; is a significant determinant of sustainability. Where the population lives and works relative to the location of natural resources affects environmental quality. The expansion of the agricultural frontier and other human activity is encroaching on fragile ecosystems in many part of the world.

SOME WAY TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS.

Two policies have multiple benefits for individual welfare, for social and economic development, and for the environment. One is investment in voluntary family planning and reproductive health programs. Since research has shown that many women in high fertility countries have more children than they actually went, these programs allow couples to have the number of children they desire, thus, reducing unwanted childbearing and lowering fertility rates. Lower fertility lead to slower population growth, allowing more time for coping with the adverse effect of that growth, and easily stress on the environment. The other to policy priority is education. Education enhances individual choice, fosters women’s empowerment, and improves gender equality. Better educated people are in better health, and often contribute to greater environmental awareness. The increased economic productive and technological advance that education induces can lead to less pollution, intensive production. It may also reduce vulnerability to environmental change by facilitating access to information and the means to protect oneself. Furthermore, in countries with rapid population growth, the fertility depressing effect of education contributes to reducing the scale of human impact on the environment. Those two policies-education and reproductive health programs are in high demand by individuals almost universally because their multiple benefits are clear. They also empower individual to make informed choices. Efforts to achieve sustainable development should give them the highest priority. To facilitate the joint consideration of population, development and environment, more interdisciplinary research and education addressing these topics is necessary at all levels. The different disciplines should also conduct their studies in ways that make the result mutually accessible. Training about the nature of this interaction is apriority issue for the policy making community, media, and scientists.

Baba Ali Mustapha is with department of planning/research, ministry of education, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.