What human populations, for the world and its regions, would be most compatible with the option of a good quality of life for everybody everywhere?
It is the 'everybody everywhere' part that complicates matters. If there is to be a ration of one car for every three persons in Europe, equity requires that the option of the same ration should be available in Asia.
Of the many criteria that have to be considered in looking for an answer, the three most fundamental are: the maintenance of biodiversity, the availability of fresh water, and the availability of land.
From papers presented at the Optimum Population Congress in Cambridge in August '94 and from studies made since, some tentative figures for maximum sustainable populations are beginning to emerge - for example, the following top-down figures: for the world: 2 billion; Asia and Oceania, 1 billion (15 million for Australia, 20 million for Japan ...); Africa, 400 million; for the Americas 400 million; Europe, 200 million (25 million for Germany, 20 million each for France, Italy and Britain, 15 million for Spain ...).
- David Willey, 12 Meadowgate, Urmston, Manchester M41 9LB.
- Optimum Population Trust, Taf Alaw, Llanfallteg, Dyfed SA34 OUW (tel 01437 563254; fax 0161 746 8385).
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