Contents: Preface. Part I. Climate, population and consumption: I. How much is sustainable?: 1. Introduction. 2. Sustainable development--the "Unfinished Agenda". 3. The climate convention : one small step. 4. UNCED : a new global partnership? 5. Sidelining consumption and poverty. 6. Population postponed. 7. Balancing population and consumption. II. Climate change briefing: 1. Introduction. 2. The IPCC assessment of climate change. 3. The IPCC assessment of the impects of climate change. 4. Explaining greenhouse gases. 5. Sources and sinks of greenhouse gases. 6. Assessing responsibility for greenhouse gases. 7. Climate futures. 8. IPCC response strategies working group reports. 9. Towards a sustainable climate policy. III. Population briefing: 1. Introduction. 2. World population patterns: past and present. 3. The north-south demographic divide. 4. Looking into the future. 5. Tackling population growth. 6. Is there a world population problem? 7. Historical roots of the problem. 8. Implementing demographic policies. 9. Assessing progress. IV. Consumption briefing: 1. The consumption revolution. 2. Poverty and the environment. 3. Comparing over-and under-consumption. 4. Future consumption patterns. Part II. Case studies: V. Developing country case studies: 1. South Asia. 2. A framework for analysis. 3. Population dynamics in South Asia. 4. Population-climate interactions in South Asia. 5. Conclusions on South Asia. Latin America: 1. Focus on energy policy in Chile. 2. Conclusions on Latin America. VI. OECD country case study: 1. The OECD demographic slow-down. 2. An ageing population. 3. The spreading of the urban lifestyle. 4. Immigration. 5. OECD social and economic indicators. 6. Resource consumption. Focus on the United States of America: 1. Historic change in the components of U.S. population growth. 2. Fertility. 3. Mortality. 4. The melting pot revisited: immigration and population change. 5. A look to the demographic future. 6. A summary of recent census bureau projections. 7. The demographic character of change. 8. U.S. population growth in environmental context. Part III. Synthesis and conclusion: VII. Climate change : weighing up consumption and population: 1. From confucius to the 'Population Bomb'. 2. Assessing the impact of population growth. 3. From theory to practice: the evolving debate. 4. Tackling inertia. 5. Conclusions: quantitative factors are not enough. VIII. Some simple scenario experiments: 1. Introduction. 2. Understanding the past. 3. Exploring the future. 4. Bangladesh. 5. Kenya. 6. Chile. 7. Conclusions. IX. Lifestyle is the problem: 1. Taking a comprehensive approach. 2. Focusing on qualitative factors. 3. Tackling causes and adaptation. 4. Conclusions. References. Addendum : Climate change briefing: from Rio to Kyoto: 1. Introduction. 2. Conclusion. References. The world population: from Rio to Kyoto. References.
"Global climate change is emerging as one of the most important environmental threats facing mankind. There is an increasing consensus amongst scientists worldwide that the threat is real. The climate convention and the more recent Kyoto Protocol demonstrate seriousness of the global community towards addressing the causes and consequences of global climate change.
"This report is a pioneering contribution and brings together expertise from both developed and developing countries to place population control in its correct context in relation to climate change response strategy.
"The report concludes that it is not population numbers in developing countries but the consumption pattern particularly in the north that are of importance as far as greenhouse gas emission is concerned. Technology can play a vital role. The per-capita concept in greenhouse gas emission will continue to remain a central issue in the debate on global climate change policy and mitigation as we enter the post-Kyoto Protocol world." (jacket)
[A. Atiq Rahman is presently the Director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies.
Nick Robins is presently the Director of European Programme of the International Institute for Environment and Development, London, U.K.
Annie Roncerel is presently the Programme Advisor to the Energy and Atmosphere Programme within the Bureau for Policy Development at UNDP, New York.]
