Human population has grown beyond Earth's sustainable means

The Celtic League have drawn attention to a report from Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). This is on the issue of food security and climate change following a warning statement issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  As RTÉ report the IPCC have: "warned that efforts to limit global warming while feeding a booming population could be wrecked without swift and sweeping changes to how we use the land we live off." They also report on the important "need to protect remaining tropical forests as a bulkhead against future warming." Although the report clearly points to the issue of a "booming population" problem, there appears to a reluctance to discuss this topic. However, this is an issue that cannot continue to be sidelined.

As respected broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough, who is a patron of the Environmental charity Sustainability organisation "Population Matters" has pointed out: “All our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people, and harder — and ultimately impossible — to solve with ever more people.” As Population Matters point out: "It took humanity 200,000 years to reach one billion and only 200 years to reach seven billion. We are still adding an extra 80 million each year and are headed towards 10 billion by mid-century." We have to address the issue of over population and for various reports to make valid points on food security and climate change, then not fully address population growth is not good enough.  The issues raised by Population Matters can be seen on their website and as they state: "Human population has grown beyond Earth's sustainable means. We are consuming more resources than our planet can regenerate, with devastating consequences."

The Celtic League item drawing attention to the RTÉ report can be seen underneath. Below that I have also added the graph on environmental indicators and population - The Human Footprint - Source: WWF. Submitted by Alastair Kneale.

"IPCC WARNING ON FOOD SECURITY

RTE have this comprehensive report on a new IPCC statement on food security and climate change:

https://www.rte.ie/…/e…/2019/0808/1067604-climate-change-un/

Bernard Moffatt
Celtic League"