DEMOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT
1914 - PRESENT
THE WORLD UNDER ATTACK
HOW MANY IS TOO MANY?
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Dramatic population increases in twentieth century
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Population increased from 500 million in 1650 to 2.5 billion in 1950
Asia and Africa experienced population explosion after WWII
5.5 billion people in 1994; perhaps 11.6 billion people in 2200
So far, food production has kept pace with population growth
Fertility rates have been falling for past twenty years
The planet's carrying capacity
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How many people can the earth support?
Scientists and citizens concerned about physical limits of the earth
Club of Rome issued "The Limits to Growth" in 1972
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Dire predictions not borne by facts
Prices have fallen, food has increased
Technology seems to have been the unaccounted for variable
Environmental impact
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Urbanization and agricultural expansion threaten biodiversity
Gas emissions, coal burning contribute to global warming
In 1997 at Kyoto, 159 states met to cut carbon dioxide emissions
Population control: a highly politicized issue
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Some developing nations cry racism when urged to limit population
UN agencies have aided countries with family-planning programs
China's one-child policy has significantly reduced growth rate
Other cultures still favor larger families, for example, India
WORLD POVERTY
Indicators include Fertility Rate, Illiteracy Rate, Enrollment in Primary School, Immunizations, Females in Labor Force,
Life Expectancy at Birth, Infant Mortality Rates, Safe Drinking Water, Urban Sanitation, and Urban Populations
MIGRATION
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Internal migration is largely urbanization
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Tremendous flow from rural to urban settings
Part of process of industrialization
In western societies 75 percent of population is urban
Urbanization a difficult transition for rural people
Crowded in slums (barrios) at the edge of cities;
Massive strain on urban civil services
External migration
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Fleeing war, persecution, seeking opportunities
13 million "guest workers" migrated to western Europe since 1960
10 million migrants (mostly Mexican) migrated to United States since 1960
In oil-producing countries, foreigners make up half of working population
About 130 million people live outside their countries of citizenship
Migrant communities within host societies
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Migrants enrich societies in many ways
Also spark hostility and conflict
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Fears that migrants will undermine national identity
Compete for jobs
Anti-immigrant movements
Xenophobia lead to violence and racial tension
MIGRATION OR IMMIGRATION?
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Migrations often refugee related in 20th century
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Result of political turmoil, war: massive popular dislocations
Europe
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1939 – 1989
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Eastern Europe Since 1989
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Arab-Israeli Wars dislocated 1 million Palestinians
More than 2 million Jews flee centuries old homes in Arab lands for Israel
1 million Kurds from persecution in Iraq in neighboring lands
Indo-China: 1 million boat people from Vietnam, refugees from Cambodia
Sub-Saharan Africa
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As aspect of decolonization, settlers have returned home to their mother country
Many Europeanized natives have immigrated to settle in European nations
Vietnamese, Algerians, West Africans in France; Africans, Arabs, West Indies, Indians in England
North Africa and SW Asia
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Wars in Yugoslavia following breakup of nation
Over one million Bosnia Muslims, Albanians were refugees
Many Serbs, Croats dislocated due to expulsions from centuries old homes
United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal
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30 million dislocated by Nazis
15 million Germans expelled by Communists from Eastern Europe
Millions of refugees flee Communist reign in Eastern Europe
Southern Africa
• Massive movement of males to work in mines, factories of South Africa
• Apartheid South Africa began to move Africans onto homeland reserves
War and Famine Refugees
• Famine in Ethiopia, Sahel has forced millions to flee area
• Constant strife in whole region has led to refugee camps across continent
Guest Workers: Poor nations’ export excess populations to work in richer nations
The Brain Drain: Western Europe, US educate world’s elite, many immigrate
LATE 20TH C. MIGRATION
DISEASES AND EPIDEMICS
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Many epidemics now under control
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Last major pandemic (1918-1919)
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World Health Organization
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Medical arm of the UN very active in fighting disease
Smallpox, diptheria eradicated
HIV/AIDS
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Identified in 1981 in San Francisco
Originated in Africa 1960s
Spread to Western Europe, New York, Montreal Canada
In 2000
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36.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide
21.8 million in Africa: whole populations, nations threatened
Kills adults in prime
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Spanish Influenza
Flu epidemic that killed forty million world wide
Many children in Africa orphaned
Threatens social and economic basis of African societies
Many cannot afford treatment
Many contract due to polygamy ideas, marrying brother’s widow
Aid workers, medical personal contact killing only ones who can help
Bird Flu is currently worrying experts
ECOCIDE
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Ecocide
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Silent Spring
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Arose in 1980s in Europe, active today in US, Latin America
Environmental concerns married to social activism in elections
Strongly associated with consumerism movement
Influence exerted through Greenpeace, World Wildlife Federation
Deforestation proceeding at an alarming rate
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Chemist Rachel Carson published landmark book in 1963
Showed how industry was systematic destroying environment
Showed industry understood consequences, did not care
Instant landmark success
Gave birth to modern Green or Environmental movement
Green Party
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Permanent physical destruction of an environment, biome
Only possible in 20th century thanks to technology
Land needed for farming, exploding populations
Rain forests under attack for rare products, land to farm
Global Warming and Kyoto Accords
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Concerns due to air pollution of cars, factories, spread of acid rain
Led to international agreement to limit emissions; US refused to sign
GREEN REVOLUTION
• Technology impacts food production
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Mechanization of whole process
New seeds including genetically altered
Fertilizers, Pesticides such as DDT
Massive irrigation projects around world
• The Green Revolution
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Impacted India, China, Latin America, Africa
Famines today rare
India, China, most of Latin America can feed itself
World’s food exporters
• Rice: Vietnam, US
• Grains, Corn: Europe, US, Argentina, Canada, Australia
• Beef: Argentina, US, Australia
• BUT negative effects to environment
• Chemical pollutants in soil, water
• Destruction of forests, fragile zones to increase food production
POPULATION DENSITIES
GLOBAL URBANIZATION
DEMOGRAPHIC STRESS
URBANIZATION
MEGACITIES