IB Geography Paper 1 Essay Help

[Bgtavener]

"It is impsosible to attain environmental sustainability without population control". Discuss. [15]

[theboro76]

Assuming you want both sides of this topic.

To clarify I am also assuming that population control means a reduction, or nutralisation of birth rates, not necicarily bisong contraception.

FOR

• People put strain on natural resources. Therefore more people = more nedd for natural resourses= less natural resourses = less sustainability. Means we have less fossil gfules, trees, water, etc.
• People emmit greehouse gasses. If we have more people more GHGs will need to be emmited in order to satisfy the population. Causes more effect of Enhanced greenhouse effect, and worser air quality.
• If we get more people we will need more land to sustain them, therefore we will have to clear forests, cause habitab loss for animals, etc.

Against

• We can acheive sustainability using technoilogy. Therefore the amount of people is irelevant, as we will be efficient.
• We can change our lifestyle and use less per person, and acheive sustainability that way.
• More people will mean that we will have more brains and will be more likely to get better technology.

OR, as aginst, you could define birth control as "increased use of contraceptives" and question its effective ness.

[flinquinnster]

Just to add to theboro76's answer, which is really thorough and detailed, I would mention a bit of background theory to the question. Essentially, the view that environmental sustainability can only be achieved through population decrease is Malthusian or neo-Malthusian - it asserts that as population increases, natural resources e.g. food cannot increase to keep up pace with demand. On the other hand, an anti-Malthusian view (like Boserup) would be that technology can increase environmental sustainability even if the population increases.

And of course, remember your case studies and examples to include. I don't really like this question myself because it draws upon a massively diverse array of possible case studies/examples that you might not properly link up with the question, but it's definitely interesting and possible to give a good response.