Friends of the Earth: FAQs: Why is Friends of the Earth not campaigning against overpopulation?

Why is Friends of the Earth not campaigning against overpopulation?

Friends of the Earth does not believe that population growth is the main cause of environmental pollution.

The richest 20% of people consume 86% of the Earth's resources and have the lowest birth rates.

Climate change

G8 countries make up just 13% of the world's population yet they emit nearly half of all greenhouse gases.

The average UK person produces 2.59 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year – one hundred times the average of many African citizens.

Over-consumption

Climate change is being worsened by the over-use of resources like fossil fuels. As are other environmental problems:

air pollution is largely the result of too many vehicles on the roads.
rainforest destruction is fueled by demand for raw materials that make up everyday products.
Intensive farming by big corporations is being favoured over small-scale family farming.

Friends of the Earth is campaigning to reduce per-person climate emissions and resource use in countries like the UK.

Even if the world's population stopped growing today it would not, at current consumption rates, remove pressures on the environment

FAQs - frequently asked questions

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Last modified
Content: Aug 2007