The overpopulation myth: Catholic teaching on how having children is good for

[TK421]

Overpopulation myth and Catholic teaching on family planning--Aleteia

Two years ago, Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ made headlines for its focus on care of the environment, and particularly, on its discussion of climate change. When the pope met with President Trump some weeks ago, just before the Paris climate accord, Francis presented the president with a bound and signed copy of the encyclical…

 

[ralfyman]

It’s not a myth given the fact that animal species are culled naturally or otherwise when natural resources cannot support them, when human beings use technology to sustain increasing resource use, and when the Church itself supports natural family planning.

That said, the issue isn’t so much having children as having the right number.

 

[gama232]

And what right number is that?

 

[ralfyman]

Ecological footprint vs. biocapacity, then replacement level.

 

[StudentMI]

Malthus was full of hot air. He based his analysis on post-enclosure areas of England, where the poor were shoved after their land was stolen. Of course they were packed like sardines.

 

[OKComputer]

Actually, the problem we seem to have is that people aren’t having enough kids, not overpopulation.

 

[ralfyman]

The catch is that what applies to England also applies to other areas.

 

[ralfyman]

The catch is population momentum, which explains why even with lower birth rates the world population will still rise to 9 to 11 billion.

With a biocapacity of around 12 billion hectares, the same population can manage with a footprint of less than two global hectares per capita, which is equivalent to what takes place in several poor countries.

However, the same population relies on a global economy that’s capitalist and competitive, which means it needs ever-increasing use of resources to support middle class conveniences, and then earn from that while maximizing profits. That means resource use far higher than what is sustainable.

Meanwhile, the waste generated from such activity may lower biocapacity through soil erosion, polluted water, air pollution, etc. Any attempts to clean up has an energy cost plus requires more regulation and coordination, things which work against free market capitalism.

From what I remember, the Church acknowledges all of these points, which is why it continues to call for population control and more regulation of capitalist systems. However, it does not support artificial contraception and abortion, and wants regulation to be done in a non-violent manner.