ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES ETHICAL ISSUES INVOLVING环境难民的伦理问题.pptVIP

ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES: ETHICAL ISSUES INVOLVING OVERPOPULATION John Cairns, Jr. University Distinguished Professor of Environmental Biology Emeritus Department of Biological Sciences Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, U.S.A. February 2010 ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES ARE PRODUCED WHEN THE HUMAN POPULATION EXCEEDS THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF A PARTICULAR REGION AND INDIVIDUALS SEARCH FOR A MORE HOSPITABLE AREA. Environmental refugees are already a serious problem in many parts of the world because Earth’s carrying capacity for humans is limited (i.e., overpopulation). Massive migration from affected areas is toward areas perceived to have more resources than the damaged area. The problem of human environmental refugees will continue to worsen due to both the effects of climate change (such as loss of agricultural productivity) and human damage to natural systems (such as massive deforestation). Continued exponential growth of the human population, together with a marked increase in resource consumption caused by regional economic growth, exacerbates the problem of environmental refugees. Irreversible change in carrying capacity means that a return to their homeland will be impossible for many environmental refugees. Since ecological overshoot (i.e., using more resources than Earth can regenerate) is global, most nations, possibly all nations, have already exceeded their long-term carrying capacity for humans. HARDIN1 REMARKS: “ONCE IT IS RECOGNIZED THAT THE CARRYING CAPACITY HAS BEEN TRANSGRESSED THE BATTLE CONTINUES ALONG OTHER LINES.” HE QUOTES ALDO LEOPOLD: “HERD REDUCTION IS LIKE PAYING THE NATIONAL DEBT; NOBODY WANTS TO DO IT NOW.” Since significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions seems to have little political urgency and since ecological lag times can be lengthy, the environmental refugee problem could continue for decades or more. “Limits to growth” has many prominent deniers, su