Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the past 75 years, since World War II—after which the world embarked on a massive rebuild and growth phase—climate change, environmental degradation and global population growth have had a very similar trajectory. That should come as no surprise, as the three issues are entwined. Climate change contributes to environmental demise, environmental degradation in turn contributes to climate change and population growth contributes to both. There are now many who believe that, on all three issues of climate change, population growth and environmental loss, the world reached a tipping point some years ago.

Over the past 75 years, global population has trebled from 2½ billion people to over 7½ billion people. Carbon dioxide levels have now exceeded the highest point in human history. Environmental losses have reached critical levels. Since 1970—in just half a century—humanity has wiped out two-thirds of animal populations. Thirty-four per cent of the world's tropical rainforest, referred to as 'the lungs of the planet', have been lost, and another 30 per cent are partially degraded. Throughout the world, rivers and oceans are heavily polluted and depleted of fish, and coastal seagrasses are dying. Even here in Australia, an advanced country, the State of the environment 2021 report reveals the critical levels of flora and fauna loss. There are many other statistics I could refer to that point to a world that is extensively degraded, depleted and declining.

Regrettably, however, over the past two decades, the global response has focused on climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions, with much less attention placed on environmental losses and the impact that population growth has had on climate change and the environment. Population growth and better living standards increase consumption, which in turn adds to carbon emissions and environmental depletion. The reality is that population growth and increased human consumption are the underlying causes of both climate change and environmental degradation. Yet the pursuit of economic growth, which is driven by population growth and consumption, dominates both corporate and government thinking. Thankfully, the rate of population growth appears to be slowing down. In several countries, natural population growth has plateaued or is in decline. But, even so, total population growth around the globe is projected to reach around 10 billion people by 2059. That means an increase of around two billion people, or a 25 per cent increase on the current population. With that level of increase, and a growing middle class, achieving emissions reduction targets becomes increasingly difficult.

Meanwhile, the scarcity of water and land resources is leading to more human conflict, as desperate nations struggle for survival. Across the world, natural environments that sustain critical flora and fauna are being lost to urban growth, farming, industrialisation and climate change related extreme weather events, in what has become an out-of-control cycle of demise. Simultaneously, human conflict escalates as people fight for precious land and increasingly scarce resources—all of which bring power and wealth. The incremental Israeli land grab of Palestinian territory is a stark example of that, but it's happening elsewhere as well. Likewise, the flood of refugees from impoverished countries is frequently linked to overpopulation and the fight for survival.

To date, I understand that 2,268 jurisdictions in 39 countries have declared a climate emergency. It is the one issue about which there is widespread global consensus. It presents a common threat to all countries and no country can isolate itself from it. However, to effectively tackle climate change, there must be an equal focus on population growth and the disastrous effect it is having on the earth's natural environment. To date, there is little evidence of governments doing that. There is no simple solution in addressing global issues, but, until global population becomes central to global efforts to limit climate change and environmental losses, our planet's health will continue to deteriorate and future generations will be burdened with our failures.