Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
11. Andorra
12. Austria
13. Belgium
14. Czech Republic
15. Denmark
16. Finland
17. France
18. Germany
19. Greece
20. Iceland
21. Ireland
22. Italy
23. Liechtenstein
24. Luxembourg
25. Malta
26. Netherlands
27. Norway
28. Portugal
29. Slovenia
30. Spain
31. Sweden
32. Switzerland
33. United Kingdom
North America
34. Canada
35. United States
Other
36. Barbados (Caribbean island)
37. Cyprus (Eurasian)
38. New Zealand (South Pacific island)
Population Sustainability
Exactly what is meant by population sustainability? Does it mean that the population will remain the same
(zero growth rate), grow rapidly, grow slowly or decline? Will the world's population exceed the carrying capa-
city of Earth, or has it already exceeded the carrying capacity?
Population sustainability
refers to these types of questions; scientists and their governing institutions contin-
ue to seek answers for them. Understanding the complex interactions between Earth's population and the
amount of its resources used is a difficult task. There are organizations that believe that humankind has ex-
ceeded the carrying capacity of Earth and that the number of existing human organisms in the world cannot be
