Carbon pollution plans will fail because of population growth - SPA on World Population Day 11 July, 2011

"Even if the government’s emissions target is met by all existing Australians, based on current rates of population growth any benefit gained will have been completely wiped out before we get to 2020."

Carbon pollution plans will fail because of population growth

On the eve of World Population Day, the Australian government yesterday announced a 5% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 – a target which will be useless by 2020 because of Australia’s continuing population growth.

Sandra Kanck, National President of environment group Sustainable Population Australia, (SPA), says it seems to be beyond the intellect of both Government and Greens MPs to understand that more people means more carbon pollution.
“Even if the government’s emissions target is met by all existing Australians, based on current rates of population growth any benefit gained will have been completely wiped out before we get to 2020.

It gets worse – the larger population will then have to reduce emissions by 20% (instead of the 5% required in 2011) to bring the total emissions back to 2011 targets, effectively to just stand still.

“Reining in population growth is essential if any impact is to be made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“While the opponents of a carbon tax will make much of the fact that our electricity prices will rise by around 10% as a consequence, a much bigger contributor already to electricity prices is population increase.

“Between 2007 and 2010 there was a more than 30% increase in electricity costs because of the increased costs of the distribution network – a direct result of more people and the associated urban sprawl with increased demand for electricity.

“More electricity will be consumed by allowing uncontained population growth, producing still more greenhouse gas emissions.

“After all the hoo-ha about the carbon tax and targets, the public will justifiably be angry when they find out that the government’s plans will make no difference to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia” concluded Ms Kanck “and that things will be worse still because of population growth”.

Source: MEDIA RELEASE – WORLD POPULATION DAY from Sustainable Population Australia, (SPA),
Monday, 11th July, 2011, Sustainable Population Australia, www.population.org.au

Patrons: Hon Bob Carr, Dr Paul Collins, Prof Tim Flannery, Prof Ian Lowe, Dr Mary E White

Further comment: Sandra Kanck ph. 0417882143