This Earth Day, we hosted Dr. Céline Delacroix, Director of the FP/Earth project with Population Institute.
Dr. Delacroix will present the findings from a 2023 journal article she wrote with Dr. Nkechi S. Owoo, a Ghanaian Health and Demographic Economist, that explores the perspectives of sub-Saharan African policymakers, researchers, and activists on the linkages between reproductive rights, population dynamics, and environmental sustainability.
Dr. Céline Delacroix is a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of Health Sciences. She is the Director of the FP/Earth project with the Population Institute.Participants in the survey were selected based on the following criteria: (1) being a national of, or holding permanent residence in, a country located in sub-Saharan Africa; and (2) self-identification as working or being “active” in a field that is related to economic, social, or environmental development. “Active” here refers to individuals with a marked interest or concern in these areas of relevance. Participants were thus purposefully sourced from Listservs, personal and professional networks, and word-of-mouth communications, and they were encouraged to share the survey invitation within their own networks.
A conscious effort was made to reach out to a wide variety of experts in sub-Saharan Africa who would reflect a diversity of geographical, professional, and personal viewpoints. As such, the participant search was made by sector (academia, government, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)), disciplinary field (health, reproductive health and rights, environment, economics, gender, agriculture, and development), and geographical location. In our search, we made efforts to maximize the sample diversity by aiming to represent youth, women, and marginalized communities.
In total, we obtained 402 responses. Survey participants were given the opportunity to indicate their interest in a virtual follow-up interview online on the issues mentioned above. All participants who expressed an interest in the follow-up interview were contacted, and fourteen (14) virtual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with those who responded to the invitation. Interviews were also conducted, in English and French, with stakeholders from sub-Saharan Africa who were present at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 meeting in Montreal in December 2022 (4 participants). In total, 18 interviews were conducted.
This is the link to the full paper if you would like to learn more:
I chose not to analyze this emerging theme based on gender because the scope and objectives of the survey did not focus on examining demographic differences. I was also concerned that focusing on gender might overlook some of the more complex factors influencing emotional responses, such as the survey’s context or wording, which could provide more meaningful insights.
Invest in education, gender equity, and reproductive health and rights. Improve demographic literacy and encourage discussions on the social, economic, and environmental implications of rapid population growth. Promote programmatic approaches that address the intersectoral linkages at play here, such as the Population, Health, and Environment approach.
There are plenty of initiatives that work on removing barriers to, and expanding access to, family planning. The Margaret Pyke Trust, for example, integrates family planning and conservation action.
I try to remain hopeful that situations of extreme hardship will be avoided, as many of the variables involved in this equation are reasonably within our (human) reach. These include peace and security, food production and distribution, public health, etc. Overall, I am cautious of forecasts exclusively based on demographic trajectories given the number of confounding variables at play. However, it is clear that countries with high fertility face more pressing challenges, and that the landscape for global food security is dire.
The US holds a paradoxical stance on human rights treaties; it plays a crucial role in advocating for their creation but consistently hesitates to ratify them. This reluctance extends beyond sensitive issues like reproductive rights to include the rights of persons with disabilities, among others. The Programme of Action was “adopted” by 179 states but isn’t legally binding as such.
If you would like to learn more on the legal status of reproductive rights, this article provides a great overview:
I’d like to refer you to a paper I co-authored with Robert Engelman on this, and I hope that you will enjoy reading it:
Population fertility and growth rates are declining globally. These trends are well established and signal that population growth will likely end this century. As a result, the concern is rising all over the world over the decline of populations both on a practical level (what are the implications of aging populations for healthcare, the economy, etc.) and on a more conceptual or existential one (does this signal the extinction of our own species?). This distracts us from focusing on our current population landscape: a global population projected to grow by another 2.4 billion humans in the next decades. It also distracts us from reflecting on the implications of our current population size.
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs issues a report on Population Policies, which is a useful resource. This report shows that countries with higher fertility rates tend to have policies to lower fertility, and the opposite is also true.
Increasing immigration can influence population dynamics, as immigrants often align with the fertility rates of their host country soon after arrival; for example (immigrants from high-fertility countries typically have fewer children than they might have in their home country). I do not think, however, that immigration should not be seen as a potential “solution” to achieve a sustainable population size. When reflecting on carrying capacity and the size of the global population the planet can sustainably support, individual footprints should be harmonized to a level that meets human needs and enables adequate well-being.
That being said, emigration from countries experiencing rapid population growth emigration can help alleviate some of the pressures associated with this rapid growth, and conversely, immigration to countries with aging populations can benefit from an influx of younger workers. As such, if the right conditions are present, immigration can play a beneficial role towards sustainable development.
