Society
& Nature, Vol. 3, No. 1
Human
Population Growth and the Environment:
A
Debate Among Deep Ecologists, Social Ecologists and Ecofeminists
Catherine
Pal
Abstract
In this essay, I examine the debate on human population growth between
deep ecologist Dave Foreman, social ecologist Murray Bookchjn, and ecofeininists
Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva. My question is whether human population growth per
se, social dominauon or capitalist patriarchal relations is the ecological
problem causing damage to the environment. I attempt to answer this question by
arguing with Mies and Shiva that human overpopulation is not the major
ecological probIem; rather, it is deep-seated capitalist patriarchal relations.
The solution to the ecological crisis, the population growth accompanying it and
women ‘s oppression is seen as a “new ecology of reproduction” combined
with giving people rights and access to resources to generate sustainable
livelihood.
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