There is a third problem which is at least equal to consumption and population as a cause of environmental degradation - inequitable access to economic opportunity. In most developing countries inequity is the major cause of deforestation. The poor clear forests to carry on subsistence agriculture to feed their families and the rich clear vast expanses of forest to create inefficient cattle ranches and plantations.
And, of course, inequity on the international scale, is an obvious problem with the U.S. being the leading offender - consuming far more than our fair share of the planet's resources on a per capita basis and contributing substantially to greenhouse gas emissions. Robert Mowbray Tropical Forest Ecologist -------------- Original message from "Warren W. Aney" <[email protected]>: -------------- > I know this has been discussed before, but the point still needs to be made > that overconsumption and overpopulation both need to be addressed as our > greatest problems.
