Here again: World overpopulation still an issue

In revisiting my blog from 2008, and breathing life back into this discussion on current issues related to the study of anthropology, I noticed my last post was on overpopulation. In a recent article from The Associated Press, the United Nations is contemplating a free condom and family planning global campaign. Their supposed goals, however, aren't for the sake of humans, but for the Earth.

Critics are arguing that global warming and overpopulation aren't connected, but industrialization is the real culprit. Critics have a good point. While the report states that "The linkages between population and climate change are in most cases complex and indirect," it doesn't make clear that some of the most highly populated areas make the least amount of pollution. It's also important to remember how much child bearing and rearing of large families, is pertinent to many cultures, where "overpopulation" exists. Some are even saying that the U.N. Population Fund, which released the report in an attempt to get policies made within global warming strategies in a couple of weeks at the Kyoto Protocol conference, may have ulterior motives -- white, elitist motives, in fact.

However, UNFPA's mission: "is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect."

It's good to note that if these policies were to be implemented, it would be like Planned Parenthood here in the U.S. -- up to the user's discretion. You don't have to walk into Planned Parenthood to get a free condom if you don't want to; you don't have to get an abortion, pap smear, std testing, etc. It all comes down to the power of choice. But, maybe the UNFPA should stick to their mission statement and maybe shouldn't have used the warming climate as a ploy for family planning awareness ... though it was a good try.

Here's the dissuasive video. Notice there are no pictures of Hummer-driving Americans.