6 Why Population Can't be Ignored

Planet in Crisis

Dave Gardner explains why we cannot pin our sustainability hopes exclusively on reducing consumption (which no society has voluntarily done,) and why we should also embrace lowering population - through a voluntary reduction of birthrates (which many countries have done). Addressing this issue can – and must – be ethical, anti-racist, and respectful of human rights. In this session we’ll learn why it’s the easiest of all CO2 reduction strategies, why it’s politically so challenging to educate people about it, why we can’t continue to tap-dance around it, and how we can all act on it.

Sustainability advocate Dave Gardner co-hosts The Overpopulation Podcast and the GrowthBusters podcast about coming to terms with limits to growth. He produced the 2011 documentary, GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, and the 2015-2017 syndicated radio series and podcast, Conversation Earth. He served as executive director of World Population Balance from 2015-2021.

LINKS:

World Population Balance https://www.worldpopulationbalance.org

GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth documentary https://www.growthbusters.org/growthbusters-the-movie/

Scientists Warning Europehttps://scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/

All Three World Scientists’ Warningshttps://scientistswarningeurope.org.uk/warnings

Planet in Crisis Pre-COP Video Series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyl1v07bfIaLHtXjYBtaca3YdlPaKC9Vx

GrowthBusters podcast http://www.growthbusters.org/podcast/

The Overpopulation Podcast https://www.worldpopulationbalance.org/podcasts

This is the audio from a session held as part of the Planet in Crisis – Creating Action for COP26 global online summit. In November 2020, exactly one year before the official COP26 climate conference, Scientists Warning Europe organised this series of online Pre-COP events to raise awareness, push the conversation, show demand, and drive real action. Over 25 events were attended by more than 2,000 people from across the globe.

Scientists Warning Europe presents and promotes science endorsed solutions which will lead to a just transition for our World to a sustainable and equitable future. Learn more, sign up for updates, and support our work at https://www.scientistswarningeurope.org.uk

This podcast series is made possible through the generous help of The Overpopulation Podcast and the GrowthBusters podcast about sustainable living.

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