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POPULATION
GROWTH
In
1960, the world numbered only 3 billion inhabitants. In the meantime
the
counter has passed the 6.6 billion mark. In a very short time,
the world
population has more than doubled. Predictions of population
figures in the future average out at around 9 billion by the year 2050.
Population growth mainly takes place in developing countries. In Eritrea, where
the average family consists of six children, expectations are that the population
will grow from 4 to 11 million people by 2050. In Congo the present rate will
even lead to a threefold increase, from 58 to 177 million. In India the population
will increase by no less than a half billion by 2050 if parents keep having
as many children as they do now.
The question is if and how the earth is able to meet the needs
of so many people. The economic growth will have to keep up with
the
population
growth
in a sustainable
fashion. Otherwise there is the risk of a ‘Malthusian catastrophe’,
where the number of people will rapidly decline as a result of
famine, scarcity, unemployment, disease and war.
The most effective ways of combating population growth are providing
family planning in developing countries, promoting small families and
stimulating
economic growth. Iran is an example of a country that has managed to
curb population growth by deploying the media, religious leaders and
teachers to promote small
families and offer free family planning.
What
can private individuals do
Support initiatives for family planning, contribute
to the prosperity of poor areas, have 2.1 children themselves.
What
can companies do
Support initiatives for family planning, contribute
to the prosperity of poor areas.
UPSETTING THE
ENVIRONMENT
Life consists
of a web of organisms that are mutually dependent. By regular currents
in the oceans and the atmosphere, and the precipitation that is
the result of those currents, heat, water and minerals are spread out across
the earth. The fixed patterns involved in this are a condition for the
life of plants and animals.
Humanity has radically changed all those systems. Of some
plants and animals there are a lot more now – think of corn or cows – while
many other species are being threatened. The composition
of sea, air and soil has been
altered and a hundred thousand new substances have been introduced
in the environment. The climate is changing as a result of
our energy consumption.
All of these
developments are threatening to get out of hand. Once a certain
limit has been reached, the climatic changes or extinction
of species
can suddenly
take place
very rapidly.
The solution is to design all human processes after the example of the world
of nature, namely cyclically instead of linearly. Everything we use should
become food for something else again, just like in the natural world. What
is also important is to switch to sustainable sources of energy as soon as
possible.
What
can private individuals do
Use sustainable energy, consume little and
recycle a lot, choose environment-friendly products, travel little and eat
few animal products.
What
can companies do
Use sustainable energy, set up all their business processes
in an environment-friendly way, help fast-developing countries
such as China and India make their energy supplies sustainable.
POVERTY
At least 840 million people suffer from chronic famine and
are only one bad harvest removed from starvation;
two billion people do not have access to electricity;
about two billion people have no safe way to dump their
refuse, because there is no sewer system.
Besides those material aspects, poverty is also
understood as a lack of opportunities. The poor
have little access
to education
and the media and they live in badly
governed societies where political and economic suppression
are the rule rather than the exception. That is
why it is so difficult
to escape from
poverty on
one’s own account.
Many causes of poverty can be given, the most embarrassing
of which is the role played by wealthy countries. The global
power
structure
privileges – intentionally
or not – the wealthy countries. Trade barriers, agriculture subsidies,
strict conditions for development assistance and economic supremacy make that
wealthy countries call the shots. As a result, here as well a linear process
takes place: money flows from poor to rich and stays there, instead of being
invested in the poor. In the end that’s no good for
anyone, not even for the rich. A world in which all have
a chance to
develop is to the advantage
of everyone.
There are many ways to work on a solution to this problem. Providing
basic necessities is a prerequisite, but an even greater contribution
is the stimulation
of economic activity in developing countries. The micro-credit
is a by now famous way of helping people increase their prosperity
on their own account.
Another fascinating development is the surge in LETS (Local Exchange
Trading Systems), which allow people to conduct trade within a
region without being
dependent on wholesalers or the changeable global economy.
What
can private individuals do
Invest money in successful development
projects, spread knowledge, choose products that have been manufactured
in a fair manner.
What
can companies do
Purchase in a fair manner,
communicate transparently towards consumers about the purchasing,
support successful development projects,
send employees to poor countries to bring knowledge.
WAR
At this time the
world is being swept by dozens of wars and violent conflicts. Between
1998 and 2003, about a half million people have been killed in
combat. The actual number of people that die because of wars is much higher,
because life in war zones is threatened in many other ways than by combat
alone. Soldiers destroy houses and hospitals, oust people from their land
and burn down entire agricultural areas. Hundreds of thousands of refugees
live close together in camps without sufficient food or adequate sanitary
facilities. Diseases break out and spread rapidly.
The main cause of war is poverty. This is nicely expressed
by the ‘Golden
Arches’ theory of Thomas Friedman, which says that two countries with
a McDonalds franchise will never go to war with one another.(The United States’ attack
on Kosovo and the recent war between Israel and Lebanon, in
the meanwhile, form two exceptions that prove the rule.) For
prosperous
countries it is
more interesting to conduct trade than to wage war. But in
poor countries frustrations
are rampant and the level of education is low, so that population
groups can easily be set against one another by their leaders.
To establish peace on earth, increasing prosperity is therefore the most effective
method. What also helps is bringing about positive contacts among population
groups and increasing knowledge about conflicts. In Rwanda, for example, there
is a popular radio soap that incorporates information about conflict development
and conflict solution.
Peace on earth is often regarded as a utopia, since fighting is allegedly part
of human nature. It is true that fighting is in our nature, but that can also
be translated in constructive and even enjoyable ways. Think of competition
within the economy or the football world championships.
What
can private individuals do
Support peace projects, relate in positive
ways to their own environment.
What
can companies do
Support peace projects, especially when they operate
in countries where there are tensions between population groups.
DISEASES
Poor countries
are plagued by diseases for which remedies often exist that unfortunately
are not available to the poor. Health care is below par, bad sanitary
conditions pave the way for the spread of diseases and medicine is
too expensive. In countries where many people are ill, for example
due to malaria or HIV, the economy suffers. Every year, 400 million
people contract malaria. People who are ill are not capable of working
and, moreover, have to be taken care of by healthy people, who as
a result have no time for other work.
High population densities and increased mobility make a global pandemic a real
danger. Diseases such as SARS and bird flu have so far pretty much been kept
under control. In case of a new mutation with a higher risk of infection that
might not be possible anymore.
In the meantime, revolutionary developments are taking place within the medical
industry. Nanotechnology, gene therapy and vibrational medicines (medicines
that work with vibration on a molecular level) promise quick diagnoses and
cures with limited side effects.
What
can private individuals do
Support scientific research, support the fight
against aids and malaria, complete antibiotic courses, attend the Dance 4Life
party, where young people make a statement against aids.
What
can companies do
Support scientific research, support hospitals in developing
countries, improve the sanitary conditions in poor regions.
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