Title: Four perspectives on population policies

Authors: Urs P. Thomas

Addresses: Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal, 6307 Beaulieu St, Montreal QC H4E 3E9, Canada

Abstract: This policy study placed population policies into the wider context of North-South relations and sustainable development policies by presenting four perspectives regarding this topic: The Lipservice for Solidarity Perspective is characterized by well-meaning pledges and rhetoric by industrialized countries, but it lacks a serious follow-up; The Blame the Rich Perspective puts too much emphasis on individual women|s reproductive rights and industrialized countries| policy failures, while it tends to overlook ancient local constraints on women|s empowerment, which are rooted in cultural and socioeconomic behavioural patterns and make exercising women|s rights illusory; The Sustainable Development Perspective is considered to be on the right track, but population priorities tend to get lost among many other objectives; The Intergenerational Perspective is seen as the preferred analytical framework, because it focuses on collective aspects of the development process, and on the ecosystem|s carrying capacity.

Keywords: carrying capacity; cultural constraints; intergenerational equity; population policies; sustainable development; women empowerment; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.1997.028323

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 1997 Vol.7 No.1, pp.26 - 42

Published online: 16 Sep 2009 *

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