World Population Day Presentation and Panel Discussion – What is a sustainable population?
Why, when and what should we do about it? Dr William Rees was the lead speaker at this high level discussion involving top scientists discussing what is a ‘scientifically defensible, sustainable human population size for the long term’ as called for in the World Scientists Warning to Humanity – A Second Notice issued in 2017 by over 15,000 scientists. Once we know the sustainable population size then how should we get there and when? The 2017 warning also called for ‘rallying nations and leaders to support that vital goal’ in terms of population size. July 11th is World Population Day. Population is also included as one of the 6 stressors in the World Scientists Warning of Climate Emergency issued on 5 November 2019 .
Connected with this Scientists Warning Europe believe the United Nations should include a scientifically determined population goal into its SDGs. This would seem to be currently a worrying weakness in the current list of SDGs as so many of them are, in any case, dependent on or effected by global population levels and connected consumption.