Latest news with #populationcontrol
The Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Why we shouldn't cheer Earth's growing population
Jonathan Kennedy raises the tired spectre of 'population control' advocates to argue that we should be happy that the world's population may be undercounted by several billion (Are there billions more people on Earth than we thought? If so, it's no bad thing, 31 May). But while acknowledging that coercive measures to reduce population are a thing of the past, he does not mention that, even historically, the majority of these measures were voluntary and based on educating, empowering and providing contraceptive access to women and girls. This works because women choose lower fertility as soon as they are able to. Yet Kennedy ignores the millennia-old history of empires, churches and the military pushing for them to have more children. He is correct that we should not fear the prospect of immigrants populating rich countries, but wrong that we need them to perform low-wage labour to save us from dire consequences. Alarmist fears of low birthrates are most often spread by the Elon Musks of the world, who have obvious reasons for cheering the cheap labour that comes with population growth. That they are being increasingly parroted by 'liberal' outlets shows that we have lost sight of the lowest- hanging fruit towards taking care of our citizens – taxes that make the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share rather than pressures that push women to have babies they don't want. In a time of deepening climate change, species extinctions and pollution, and of soaring global inequality where people in high-fertility countries want, and deserve, materially secure lives, we should not be cheering the prospect of billions more humans to add to our already dire ecological and social predicaments. Kirsten StadePopulation Balance An entire article about overpopulation and no mention of myriad other species that are being wiped out to accommodate us. I'm not sure that any other animals will be left alive when the population peaks 'at about 10.3 billion in the mid-2080s', or if the planet will still be BinghamMuswell Hill, London Jonathan Kennedy builds on Isaac Asimov's 'bathroom metaphor' to demonstrate the dangers of populist leaders' hostility to immigration. Figuratively speaking, he says they want to keep one bathroom for themselves and force everyone else to share the other one, but that this comes with risks: 'Perhaps the other toilet becomes blocked and the whole flat is inundated with raw sewage.' Right. But this is also what inevitably happens when a limited number of bathrooms are shared with an ever-increasing number of people, even if they are shared equally. We must absolutely become better at sharing resources, but this won't enable infinite growth on a finite planet. There is nothing 'alarmist' about acknowledging that the Earth has limits. In fact, at our current population size, we've already breached close to seven out of nine critical planetary boundaries. It's good to see Kennedy acknowledge that today's population movement focuses on women's empowerment: 'Educating women and giving them control over their lives has proved remarkably effective at reducing fertility rates.' Precisely, not to mention that empowering women is morally essential in its own right. So if we can improve lives and at the same time ensure that there are enough 'bathrooms' for everyone to be comfortable and to avoid disasters, why wouldn't we? Small changes in fertility rates have major impacts on future population sizes. While we are on track for a peak of over 10 billion, the UN's projections also show that if every other woman had one more child than currently expected, our global population would soar to 14.4 billion by 2100, while if every other woman had one fewer child than expected, our global population would decline to 7 billion by 2100. One of these is a lot more compatible with a happy, healthy planet than the NaterPopulation Connection Jonathan Kennedy acknowledges that current concerns about overpopulation relate to 'climate change, resource depletion and biodiversity loss', but then bewilderingly fails to address any of these issues. An implied cornucopian perspective is taken – these issues do not need to be addressed as either humankind's ingenuity will sort them out or humankind at least will not suffer too much from their effects (with no regard paid to the non-human species that we inhabit the planet with). With humankind currently transgressing at least six of nine planetary boundaries, the cornucopian perspective is a dangerous one and needs to be challenged wherever encountered. Overpopulation needs to be acknowledged as a major challenge to bringing human impacts on our world back within sustainable DelphineMelbourne, Australia Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
CNA
20-05-2025
- General
- CNA
Pigeon management plan to be rolled out in three more town councils
SINGAPORE: A pigeon management plan introduced in several town councils in a pilot programme in 2024 will be extended to three more areas. The next phase will be rolled out in Jalan Besar, Marsiling-Yew Tee and Nee Soon town councils from June for a duration of six to nine months. If successful, the plan will be scaled up across Singapore to help manage the pigeon population, said Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How on Tuesday (May 20). The initial pilot programme was implemented in three town council estates with large clusters of pigeons - Ang Mo Kio, Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tanjong Pagar. The pilot, which was carried out from July 2024 to March 2025, saw the pigeon population in the three town councils decrease by about 50 per cent. Pigeon-related feedback within the three town councils from October 2024 to March 2025 was also about 34 per cent lower than the expected average, NParks said in an update on Tuesday. Actions such as surveillance were carried out at bird feeding hotspots, and NParks took enforcement action against 50 cases of bird feeding. Direct population control measures were also carried out to bring down the pigeon numbers. PIGEON MANAGEMENT PLAN The National Parks Board (NParks) said it worked with several government agencies, residents and members of the public on the pigeon management plan, which focused on population control, public education and community stewardship. Measures included reducing human-generated food sources and direct population control, said NParks. Under the pilot plan, NParks worked with the town councils to step up pigeon removal efforts, "with physical trapping and humane euthanasia to bring down the pigeon population at hotspots" within the areas. NParks also advised the town councils on proper removal methods and developed a set of guidelines for the use of alpha-chloralose, a substance that kills birds. NParks monitored feedback on illegal bird feeding and conducted surveillance, which included physical surveillance and the deployment of CCTV cameras at identified feeding hotspots, as well as enforcement against bird-feeding. The National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) also worked with the town councils as well as other stakeholders such as the hawkers' associations, managing agent, food establishment operators and cleaning contractors to improve refuse and food waste management at bin centres and food establishments. These included ensuring non-spillage of trash between bin chutes and bin centres, as well as prompt clearance of food waste, trays and dirty crockery at tray return racks and refuse bins. Engagement and public education sessions were also conducted by SFA and NParks. During these sessions, SFA distributed educational materials on improving refuse management, housekeeping, and cleanliness practices. NParks, meanwhile, informed the public on the need to maintain the cleanliness of the environment and to refrain from feeding pigeons. It also collaborated with Active Ageing Centres to conduct sessions in the three town councils. The sessions aimed to raise awareness among the elderly on the negative impacts of bird feeding, it said. NParks reminded that it encouraged feeders to consider nature-based activities as alternatives to feeding pigeons. "These include community gardening, which creates opportunities for them to be engaged socially with others, and birdwatching, where they can observe how wild birds forage naturally without human-generated food sources," it said. It will continue working with agencies to understand the motivations of repeat offenders who feed birds. NParks will also address misconceptions and discourage them from doing so.
