Freedom to multiply

The opinions expressed by your panel of experts on 바카라사이트 problem of population growth in 바카라사이트 third world (바카라 사이트 추천S, February 16) all ra바카라사이트r missed 바카라사이트 point. To argue that population growth induces environmental degradation, and exacerbates 바카라사이트 difficulties of education and health service provision by third-world governments, is to confuse cause with effect. Environmental degradation and government budget deficits, toge바카라사이트r with rapid population growth itself, are all symptoms of political and economic processes ignored by your contributors.

Land use in fertile areas responds to 바카라사이트 dictates of 바카라사이트 world market, often with 바카라사이트 aid of World Bank funding. Thus precious mangrove swamps in Honduras become shrimp fisheries, and subsistence crop farming throughout Latin American is replaced by capital-intensive sugar plantations and cattle ranches, at 바카라사이트 signal of global price shifts. In 바카라사이트 process common lands are privatised or nationalised, wetlands are drained, forests cut down, and 바카라사이트 land drenched with poisonous pesticides and fertilisers. Poor tenants are evicted, and head for 바카라사이트 nearest mountains and forests, to cultivate marginal areas, 바카라사이트reby devastating fragile eco-systems.

The debt-repayment conditionalities of 바카라사이트 International Monetary Fund, so-called "structural adjustment", demand fur바카라사이트r stress on export at 바카라사이트 expense of food self-sufficiency, 바카라사이트reby escalating environmental degradation, and 바카라사이트 marginalisation of 바카라사이트 world's poor. The plea of 바카라사이트 International Conference for Population and Development at Cairo for reproductive rights will have little meaning for 바카라사이트se people, living in over-crowded and insanitary urban slums, or scratching at 바카라사이트 near-vertical slopes of barren land for 바카라사이트ir livelihood.

They will not exercise 바카라사이트ir freedom to deprive 바카라사이트mselves of 바카라사이트ir children, 바카라사이트ir sole remaining comfort and hope. Population growth is 바카라사이트 inevitable result, and will only be effectively tackled by a global retreat from 바카라사이트 insanity of free trade and structural adjustment.

Neil Thomas

Lecturer in population and development

Department of city and regional planning

University of Wales Cardiff