Title: Population and the environment: toward a theory of environmental Malthusianism

Authors: Robert Hardaway

Addresses: University of Denver College of Law, 1900 Olive, Denver, CO 80220, USA

Abstract: Present governmental and environmental policy is curative and reactive in nature, directed towards cleaning up past environmental disasters and passing laws to limit pollutants emitted by individuals and enterprises. Such policies fail to recognize that the root causes of environmental degradation are the result of an exponentially expanding population and a rising standard of living. No environmental programme can be successful without controlling population and reforming governmental policies in the areas of family planning, abortion, immigration, and economic regulation. Controlling population by liberalizing family planning and abortion laws is a more humane approach than reducing standards of living, especially in developing countries, where poverty is the cause of so much misery.

Keywords: abortion laws; environment; family planning; free trade; immigration; population growth; environmental Malthusianism; standard of living; economic regulation; population control; developing countries.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.1997.028322

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 1997 Vol.7 No.1, pp.8 - 25

Published online: 16 Sep 2009 *

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