*It’s time the issue of population growth was put high on the climate change agenda, *

Elizabeth, you are absolutaly correct! I have argued for a long
time on OLO, that the pope should be charged with environmental
degradation :).

Fact is the Catholics still openly promote ever increasing
population numbers, under various names. They are great
lobbyists, I grant them that.

http://www.prolife.org.ph/page/population_control

Fact is also that our politicians and politicians the world
over are generally too gutless to touch the subject, as
Catholic politicians can be found in most Govts and they
are regularly lobbied by the tentacles of the Vatican.

I guess they won't get their ticket to heaven, if they don't
take notice of what the old farts in Rome are saying.

All very sad really.

I am not overly concerned about population growth, but nonetheless am sympathetic to the idea that governments should (at the very least) not encourage unnecessary population growth. To that end, it seems reasonable to (a) scrap the baby bonus (b) remove all child care subsidies and (c) don't introduce compulsory parental leave.

Savings can be returned to taxpayers who can then use the money to meet rising food and petrol prices.

Thanks for the link Yabby…

It is truly frightening that undemocratic and sexist religious institutions are still able to wield such power over women’s (and men’s) options to control their fertility.

I appreciate there is controversy about abortion, but even contraception is forbidden. Whilst individual Catholics in developed countries might have the confidence and ability to take their own licence on the issue of contraception, this is obviously more difficult in countries like The Philippines where the Church has more overt power.

As for the "climate change agreement", mainstream discussion is too narrowly focused on "global warming" and the impact of fossil fuel emissions. Whilst this is important, other serious environmental and sustainability issues seem to have received scant attention or action (e.g. deforestation and population growth).

This needs to change. We need a new global agreement that encompasses climate change and other environmental and sustainability issues.

“even contraception is forbidden. Whilst individual Catholics in developed countries might have the confidence and ability to take their own licence on the issue of contraception, this is obviously more difficult in countries like The Philippines where the Church has more overt power.”
Well said, Elizabeth. The lack of choice demanded by the Vatican’s present (and immediate past) head, and local disciples, is a terrible imposition upon the Philippines,Timor L’Este, etc.. The link provided by Yabby illustrates the extent of disinformation that the current Bishop of Rome is prepared to go to in prostitution of the truth: the rate of excessive births has been declining somewhat, but population increase continues at the expense of civilized society, and by mining environmental capital.

But the Catholic Church is not monolithic on this matter. A large percentage of that faith hold different, non-fundamentalist, views on the subject of individual choice regarding fertility. Paul Collins gives a coherent discourse on this issue in his current book “Believers”. Until such rational thought can be brought to prominence in the Catholic Church, and in other religious persuasions of current antediluvian tendency, food and nutrition availability in adequate quantity will always be ephemeral at best. There is no real hope for societies prevented from choice in matters of fertility.

*A large percentage of that faith hold different, non-fundamentalist, views on the subject of individual choice regarding fertility.*

Very true indeed, but they are mere followers and don't make
the decisions. Its the power of a few old men in Rome that is the
problem. If they were like Paul Collins, life would be a breeze!
But they are not and the suffering and misery they cause in the
third world, is a scandal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/3147672.stm

The BBC's Panorama did a programme on this, the transcript of
which is available from the above URL.

It tells a bit about what is going on in the third world.
Women who have already had 7-8 kids, denied the snip,
because of course the Catholics also control a huge number
of hospitals.

If women in the third world, had choices like women in our
world, we certainly would not be facing an extra 80 million
a year in population increase. The Vatican do everything in
their power to avoid this happening. It has little to do
with their flock of believers, just old men drunk with power
in Rome.

Maybe the 1/4 acre block was not an archaic concept after all. Who is surprised?

Those of us who do not live in units can at least grow some food most of the year in our backyards.

Isn't it disturbing Elizabeth, to note that Australia appears hell bent on importing their own over population problem, as if we do not have enough emerging problems already? Re Kevin07 and his increasing migration over Mr Howard, who increased migration after P Keating who (I don't know for sure) but probably -- increased migration.

More good news the NSW government has opened up scarce fertile ground for housing in North Western Sydney. The odour of stamp duty is too irresistible.

Is it possible to list good top soil as endangered?

I have faith that the free market will provide the goods but did you see the Cuban market gardeners who make more money than lawyers and doctors? Land made vacant by urban decay and socialism has been turned into farms. Manual labor appears to be the standard practise.

American farmers have been paid to not grow crops for many years -- called the land bank.