Editor,
I am writing in response to the article "Global warming: a heated issue" published in the Daily Lobo on Friday.
While the staff report correctly pointed out the importance of global warming, it neglected to mention one of the most significant contributors to climate change: global population growth.
Estimates from the U.N. indicate that global population could reach nearly 11 billion by 2050. At that rate, the effects of the population increase will cancel out any reduction in carbon emissions. Without population stabilization efforts, our carbon dioxide emissions reduction strategies will be useless.
We may be able to limit our population growth to the U.N.'s low estimate of 7.8 billion people by slowing our own growth, emphasizing education and promoting individual, voluntary measures.
Just as important, we must also promote legislation supporting access to voluntary family planning around the world. We must urge our leaders to consider the impact of population and the need for stabilization as they attempt to combat global warming and other environmental crises. Making sure our lawmakers and the public understand the connections between these issues is important.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Leslie Stoeckle
Daily Lobo reader
