World Population Continued from page 4

been working for more than 30 years on broad-based population control pro-

contrast, consume 1.3

percent of all goods and

services and produce 3

percent of carbon dioxide

emissions.

And although the world’s food supply is enough to feed all

six billion of us, there

Disappearing are 841 million ah fore st s, people suffering from Gt ete malnutrition. soil erosion ...are The gap in oi iN wealth and quality of a a result of life between the ae . countries of the north overpopulation... | and south means — a death for millions of grams. people in sPaant fag Phe-doal af these countries every year from

programs is to reduce population growth and to increase quality of life. Much stands in their way, most notably gender ineq- uity, AIDS, poverty, re- source scarcity and environ- mental pollution.

While it is developing countries that contribute most to population growth - 98 per cent - industrialized nations are responsible for the majority of consump- tion, waste and environ- mental degradation.

The average Canadian consumes 60 times as much energy as the average Cambodian.

The wealthiest 20 per cent of the world consume 86 per cent of all goods and Services and create 53 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. The Poorest 20 per cent, in

curable diseases and starva- tion.

Disappearing forests, soil erosion, carbon dioxide emissions and pollution from hazardous waste are examples of dangerous environmental trends that are a result of overpopula- tion and over consumption.

Five to seven million

and unsustainable farming practices. Oxygen-rich tropical forests are being burned and razed to grow crops. Rising ocean tem- peratures resulting from carbon dioxide emissions have killed 85 per cent of the Indian Ocean’s coral reefs,

We are left with less and lower quality space for growing food, and ecosys- tems are losing the diversity they need in order to cope

in all industrialized coun- tries has remained under one per cent.

AIDS is currently the leading cause of death in Africa, with two out of the 2.5 million deaths world- wide from the disease in 1998 happening in Africa. Last year there were 5.8 million new HIV infections worldwide.

In addition to the massive personal tragedy of

caused some well-deserved controversy. The Vatican calls the west’s initiatives towards population control in developing countries a form of biological colonial- ism.

Certainly, motives for population control must be searched for classism and racism, especially since it is in poor nations populated by people of colour where these programs are most

often being called for.

with environmental change.

And then there is the problem of diseases such as AIDS.

In countries like Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, over 20 per cent of the adult population is currently HIV positive.

Botswana’s adult

There is also profit to be made from birth control, and Western-based contra- ceptive companies have used women in developing countries as guinea pigs for drugs not approved for use in Europe and North America.

HIV infection rate is the highest at 26 percent, and their life expectancy has plummeted from 62 in 1990 to 44 today. In Zimba-

bwe, half of the country’s health care spending is dedicated to AIDS pa- tients.

Some hospitals in South Africa report that

70 per cent

acres of farmland are lost annually to urbanization

of hospital beds are occupied by AIDS victims. The infection rate

the millions of AIDS deaths, they are leaving millions of orphans behind and huge holes in employ- ment and social structures. In Africa, infection rates are highest among the more educated and socially mobile, and there is neither a sufficient volume of workers nor a pool of teachers to replace those who die. Also, the tremen- dous financial responsibility of caring for AIDS victims means that health care access is reduced for all people in AIDS crisis areas. The global focus on population control has

The profit motive must be recognized and not allowed to super- sede the real needs for contraception and family planning education.

Certainly, there is still hope, there is still good news to come. Although the threat of population momentum looms inces- sant, we know what works, and we know what has to be done.

And if the world commits itself to the health and prosperity of its every citizen, and every species, the six billionth baby may have a chance after all. END ©