Ecology and the Crisis of Overpopulation

Current population growth is leading to a depletion in natural resources and could eventually cause irreversible damage to the environment. This book attempts to explain trends in the growth of the global population and the ecological consequences by blending the insights of analytical economics and behavioural ecology. The book begins by looking at population from a long term perspective and considers the ecological influences before going on to examine the economics of population growth. Reproduction decisions of the family are then analysed, and the welfare effect of these decisions on society as a whole are considered. Anup Shah pays particular attention to policies which could try to prevent or cure overpopulation. He asks whether there is a case for intervening in order to prevent overpopulation, and suggests that one way of reducing the effects of population growth is through technological advances which can help compensate for the adverse external effects. Finally, he examines the future of urban centres in the light of population growth. The book is written from a multidisciplinary approach and will have a wide readership throughout the social sciences. It will have particular appeal for economists, geographers, earth scientists, ecologists, environmentalists and those working in the area of development studies.