“The US Role in Global Population-Environmental Links” AAAS Annual Meeting

1. “The US Role in Global Population-Environmental Links” AAAS Annual Meeting

2. US role in global context (high population growth and resource use) • Key US population factors and environmental impacts • US population/RH trends • IV. New research on env/pop as tool to address issues

3. Global population and environmental changes are occurring in fundamentally different ways than ever before in history • 60% of earth’s ecosystems transformed, mainly from human activity • (UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment) • More people on earth than ever before (LDCs, urban, young, aging)

4. Plays out differently in various world areas: • Local village/community level • National/country level * • Global level • *US case – Combination of high population growth and resource consumption

6. The US Role in the Global Context • Disproportionate 5% of world population, consuming over 25% natural resources • US is the largest, fastest growing of the industrialized nations • Only one experiencing significant population growth • Combination (high population growth and high per capita resource use) results in biggest environmental footprint globally

8. US Population Factors Linked to Environment • Population size and growth rate • Distribution • Composition (age, income, etc.) • Households (number, size, land) • Per-Capita consumption of natural resources

9. Households Three way impact: • Decrease in number of people per household (increase in number of houses) • Increase in average house size • Increase in land area around homes

10. KeyUSPopulationTrendsLinkedtoEnvironment • Rural to urban • Past hundred years - largest population increase (doubled since 1950) • Density doubled • Shifts to South and West

11. “Metropolitanization”/ sprawl • Over 51% live in coastal areas, on 1/5 land area • Population-Environment “Hot Spots” • - Coastal ecosystems in South; • - Water issues in West (largest and fastest growing US regions)

12. Main US Population-Environment Linkages • Land Use: each American uses 20% more land for multiples uses than 20 years ago. • Water: US is top ten in world use per capita, uses 3 times world average • - 40-50% rivers/lakes too polluted for swimming/fishing • - 53% wetlands lost from development or agriculture use

13. Forests: US is largest world • consumer of forest products • Biodiversity: 6,700 plant and animal species at risk from extinction in US, mainly from habitat loss. • -Half US land no longer supports original vegetation; sixth mass extinction, first time attributed to humans

15. Energy: 5% population, 25% energy consumed; highest world oil consumer; transportation fastest growing energy use sector • Climate Change: 2nd largest CO2 emitter; 25% of world emissions; temperature increases of 5-9 F in 100 years/SLR and severe weather in coasts (NH=NC)

18. Fisheries: 30% of US coastal fish populations overfished; one third of all US lakes, quarter of rivers, two thirds of the coastline’s fish under advisory from mercury; third of US freshwater animal species “at risk” • Waste: Each American produces 5 • times average of developing nations • per capita

19. US Population • 3rd largest country in world • Largest and fastest growing of all industrialized nations (add 7,200 day) • - 1/3 immigration • - 2/3natural increase*

20. Addressing US Population – RH Trends • Nearly half of pregnancies in US are unintended (at least 38% of pregnancies in every US state are unintended). • The rate has increased substantially among poor and low-income women, while declining among higher-income women. • Most unintended pregnancies (95%) due to women using contraception inconsistently, incorrectly, or not at all for a month or more during the year .

21. Nearly half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended Source: Guttmacher Institute 2011

22. Most unintended pregnancies occur when women fail to use contraceptives or use their method inconsistently

23. What do Americans/environmentalists think about population? • New Survey/polling research (Americans for UNFPA) • Best entry point: women’s empowerment • New constituency: concerned about environmental degradation, believe population/consumption = negative env. impact • Contraception can make a big difference in slowing population growth • Environmentalists ready to discuss population and favor addressing it through voluntary access to contraception

24. Current Status = Future Status? • on US/Global “RH, development, • environment issues” • I. Choice: Reproductive health and sustainable consumption • - Youth key • II. Access: Need to have universal access to good quality reproductive health

25. Socolow/Pacala’s “stabilization wedge” to reduce CO2 emissions. Population stabilization can be 1-2 wedges.

26. What Works, What’s Possible • Interdisciplinary, science-based solutions • Women/girl-centered approaches • Impacts, solutions (voice, leadership) • Different DC/LDC • US roles and responsibilities (US leadership in funding and support RH; girls/women’s empowerment/opportunities; education; environmental sustainability US and globally)

27. www.cepnet.org