ABSTRACT
Concern about the impacts of rapid population growth are not new-the ancient Greeks and Egyptians voiced concern about over-population in lean times and promoted population growth in times of plenty. During the latter half of the twentieth century, the need for effective population planning became more pressing, promoted initially by widespread food shortages and famines in some developing countries during the 1960s, which were widely associated
Table 2.9 Population pressure and resource use
Continued population growth will inevitably affect other environmental trends, including
declining fisheries
increasing pressure on croplands and grazing lands
forest clearance and destruction
loss of plant and animal species
increased exposure to environmental hazards
increased production of wastes
increased pollution of air, land and water resources
with rapid population growth. Progress was slow, even though some developed countries (particularly the United States) supported and promoted efforts to strengthen family planning programmes in developing countries.
