GEF

Unit 6  |  Social Changes of Sustainable Development 132 6.3  Population Growth and Energy Use At present, the vast bulk of population growth is occurring in emerging economies, where large families are thought to pro- vide help to parents in old age. However, it is often difficult to provide large families with enough food, education, and health care. In addition, population growth drives resource deple- tion and biodiversity reduction in the countries that can least afford them. Many studies have shown that average family size and population growth drop when women are provided with education and control over reproductive decisions. Successful sustainable development prioritizes gender equality and cre- ates economic opportunities for women. Population growth and high consumption levels are also sig- nificant problems. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the U.S. population is projected to grow 30 percent, or from 319 million in 2014 to 417 million in 2060. To meet the demands of a growing population, the rate of resource consumption is also expected to rise. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) forecasts that by 2050 humans will con- sume resources at three times the current rate. This includes an estimated 140 billion tons of minerals, ores, fossil fuels, and biomass each year. The increasing rate of natural resource consumption is a great concern as it contributes to the destruc- tion of ecosystems, air pollution, water contamination, energy price spikes, economic pressures, and an overall strain on soci- ety and human welfare. Another central theme of sustainable development is energy use. Per capita energy use (energy used per person) rose dramatically during the twentieth century. Historically, per capita energy use has been lower in developing countries. PER CAPITAL ENERGY USE The average amount of energy used per person, usu- ally by country. ?  DID YOU KNOW While energy efficiency improvements have allowed more economic output with less energy input, popula- tion growth and economic growth have meant that global energy use has continued to increase with improved standards of living.