Climate Change and global warming are daunting realities we all face. Even if you are someone who doesn't really believe in these, the reality is hard to deny. Draughts, floods, wildfires, and heatwaves are all proof it is happening. So what can we do to delay the inevitable?

Is being child-free how you save the planet?

WION, in partnership with Mobius Foundation, is&nbsp;taking&nbsp;the vision of the Government of India forward and launching a one-year-long social initiative called 'Mission Sustainability - Population v/s Planet'. The campaign&nbsp;commenced with a two-hour-long Thought Leadership Conclave on February 20, 2021.&nbsp;

Technology has advanced in the last 100 years to give us television, satellites, space exploration, and instant communication through apps.&nbsp;But today, there is an urgency to take action, in the short and long term -- for the survival of civilisation as we know it.&nbsp;Although the general population is aware that the future looks bleak, the causes are not immediately apparent to the common person.&nbsp;But if we had to attribute the difficulty to a single cause,&nbsp;it is the explosion of population.&nbsp;The solution (mitigation), however, does not seem feasible.

Overpopulation is among the most pressing environmental issues, silently aggravating the forces behind global warming, environmental pollution, habitat loss, and consumption of finite natural resources at speeds faster than their rate of regeneration. Ecological issues are anyway just the beginning for many more problems and issues.

This conclave on WION seeks to trigger an informed and engaging debate around the dynamics of population and its bearing on economic growth and our resource-scarce planet.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
"Population explosion will cause many problems for our future generations. But there is a vigilant section of public that stops to think, before bringing a child to the world, whether they can do justice to the child, give them all that she or he wants. They have a small family and express their patriotism to the country. Let’s learn from them. There is need for social awareness.” - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
</blockquote>

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, has been invited to grace the event as the chief guest and share his vision for population stabilisation and sustainable development of India. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog will also join the event and address India's population policy and family planning programme.&nbsp;

The conclave will feature policy experts, demographic researchers, and academicians discussing issues like 'Human Population Growth and Climate Change', 'Population Stabilisation: The roadmap for India' and 'The Effect of Educational Intervention on Family Planning'. The list of panellists includes notable names like Pradip Burman, Chairman, Mobius Foundation; Dr M Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences; Rameshwar Prasad Gupta, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, PFI; Shailaja Chandra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Kartikeya Sarabhai, Director, CEE; and Professor KS James, Director, IIPS.

WION, in partnership with Mobius Foundation, is taking the vision of the Government of India forward and launching a one-year-long social initiative called 'Mission Sustainability - Population v/s Planet'.

WION, in partnership with Mobius Foundation, is taking the vision of the Government of India forward and launching a one-year-long social initiative called 'Mission Sustainability - Population v/s Planet'. The campaign commenced with a two-hour-long Thought Leadership Conclave on February 20, 2021. Technology has advanced in the last 100 years to give us television, satellites, space exploration, and instant communication through apps. But today, there is an urgency to take action, in the short and long term -- for the survival of civilisation as we know it. Although the general population is aware that the future looks bleak, the causes are not immediately apparent to the common person. But if we had to attribute the difficulty to a single cause, it is the explosion of population. The solution (mitigation), however, does not seem feasible. Overpopulation is among the most pressing environmental issues, silently aggravating the forces behind global warming, environmental pollution, habitat loss, and consumption of finite natural resources at speeds faster than their rate of regeneration. Ecological issues are anyway just the beginning for many more problems and issues. This conclave on WION seeks to trigger an informed and engaging debate around the dynamics of population and its bearing on economic growth and our resource-scarce planet. "Population explosion will cause many problems for our future generations. But there is a vigilant section of public that stops to think, before bringing a child to the world, whether they can do justice to the child, give them all that she or he wants. They have a small family and express their patriotism to the country. Let’s learn from them. There is need for social awareness.” - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, has been invited to grace the event as the chief guest and share his vision for population stabilisation and sustainable development of India. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog will also join the event and address India's population policy and family planning programme. The conclave will feature policy experts, demographic researchers, and academicians discussing issues like 'Human Population Growth and Climate Change', 'Population Stabilisation: The roadmap for India' and 'The Effect of Educational Intervention on Family Planning'. The list of panellists includes notable names like Pradip Burman, Chairman, Mobius Foundation; Dr M Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences; Rameshwar Prasad Gupta, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, PFI; Shailaja Chandra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Kartikeya Sarabhai, Director, CEE; and Professor KS James, Director, IIPS.

Mobius Foundation in partnership with WION launches ‘Mission Sustainability – Population v/s Planet’

An inverted, red equilateral triangle - a plain, straight-forward design, is the symbol for family planning. But underlying the simplicity of the symbol is a far more complex problem. As per a UN report, India’s burgeoning population is likely to topple China, to take the first place as the world’s most populous country in less than ten years. Should we be worried? Is 1.4+ billion a blessing or a curse? The answer has been changing over time. 
&nbsp; 
Our efforts to curtail our numbers began quite early. We were the first country in the world to launch a national programme for family planning, way back in 1952. And since then there have been many attempts to discourage enthusiastic Indians from procreating. In those days the Post &amp; Telegraph Department released envelopes, that advised us to get in touch with the Family Welfare Centre for a ‘happy married life’.&nbsp;

In the 60’s the government said - ‘ek, do teen…bus’. We will never really know the number of men who were sterilised during the emergency in 1975. And I guess many of us still remember the famous slogan, ‘hum do humare do’, innocuously placed next to a ‘Horn Ok Please’. There have been many schemes, nudging us and sometimes bullying us, to bring down fertility rates. Historically our population has always been a cause for worry. But things changed a few years ago. What was once a problem, became a boon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The term ‘demographic dividend’, coined by a Harvard demographer called David Bloom, has been used extensively in the recent past to describe our advantageous position vis-a-vis the rest of the world. Half of India is under the age of 25 - young and eager to harness opportunities. Most of the developed nations are facing the fiscal and social challenges of ageing. On the other hand, for us, the youth is our most valuable asset. The expectation is that an abundant labour pool and a dynamic consuming class will keep our economy on a solid growth path, and propel us to great heights.&nbsp; 
 
And just when we were getting lulled into complacency, comfortable with our humungous size, comes a statement by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Modi expressed concern over ‘reckless population explosion’ and spoke of the need for control. "Our population, if unchecked, can pose huge challenges for us and our future generations," he said.&nbsp;His statement is significant. Clearly, population is back on the government’s agenda.&nbsp;

As per Bloom, ‘demographic dividend' lasts for about 50 years. We are in a sweet spot right now. There is a lot of optimistic, feel-good talk about the potential of youth, but we need to also be aware of our rapidly increasing numbers. It is time to begin planning for our future.

The present logically demands that we harness the demographic dividend we’ve been gifted. We need to focus on education and opportunity. About 4.75 million people are added to the labour force every year. They need to be trained. We have to invest in our human capital to be able to utilise its potential. What is the point of having all these enthusiastic, young people, eager to work if there are no jobs. Failure to create an enabling environment will be a missed opportunity for India.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The present demands our immediate attention, but we cannot afford to lose sight of the future. Our demographics will change, its only a matter of time. By the second half of the century, the proportion of older persons will increase. We must begin preparing for that now.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The impact of an ageing population is felt across the political, social and economic spectrum. It will come with its own set of pressures. We do not have adequate pension and health insurance schemes. There is no concept of a strong social security net. There will be fiscal and social challenges. There will be mental health issues, cultural challenges of integration, and conflict between generations if the demographic transition is not managed smoothly. It's not going to be easy.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
On the other hand, a growing population will put a strain on our limited resources. The problem is not limited to India. There are going to be around 11 billion of us on planet earth by the end of the century as per the United Nations. All of us scrambling for food, dealing with scarcity of water, grappling with climate change, environmental degradation, poverty, social instability and disease. How are we going to manage.&nbsp;

The significance of Modi’s speech is not lost. The timing is right. Now is the time to be aware of what is coming. Our population is our strength at this moment, but it won’t last forever. Our youth brings us hope for the present. But we need to also start planning for the future.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

An inverted, red equilateral triangle - a plain, straight-forward design, is the symbol for family planning. But underlying the simplicity of the symbol is a far more complex problem.

An inverted, red equilateral triangle - a plain, straight-forward design, is the symbol for family planning. But underlying the simplicity of the symbol is a far more complex problem. As per a UN report, India’s burgeoning population is likely to topple China, to take the first place as the world’s most populous country in less than ten years. Should we be worried? Is 1.4+ billion a blessing or a curse? The answer has been changing over time. Our efforts to curtail our numbers began quite early. We were the first country in the world to launch a national programme for family planning, way back in 1952. And since then there have been many attempts to discourage enthusiastic Indians from procreating. In those days the Post & Telegraph Department released envelopes, that advised us to get in touch with the Family Welfare Centre for a ‘happy married life’. In the 60’s the government said - ‘ek, do teen…bus’. We will never really know the number of men who were sterilised during the emergency in 1975. And I guess many of us still remember the famous slogan, ‘hum do humare do’, innocuously placed next to a ‘Horn Ok Please’. There have been many schemes, nudging us and sometimes bullying us, to bring down fertility rates. Historically our population has always been a cause for worry. But things changed a few years ago. What was once a problem, became a boon. The term ‘demographic dividend’, coined by a Harvard demographer called David Bloom, has been used extensively in the recent past to describe our advantageous position vis-a-vis the rest of the world. Half of India is under the age of 25 - young and eager to harness opportunities. Most of the developed nations are facing the fiscal and social challenges of ageing. On the other hand, for us, the youth is our most valuable asset. The expectation is that an abundant labour pool and a dynamic consuming class will keep our economy on a solid growth path, and propel us to great heights. And just when we were getting lulled into complacency, comfortable with our humungous size, comes a statement by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Modi expressed concern over ‘reckless population explosion’ and spoke of the need for control. "Our population, if unchecked, can pose huge challenges for us and our future generations," he said. His statement is significant. Clearly, population is back on the government’s agenda. As per Bloom, ‘demographic dividend' lasts for about 50 years. We are in a sweet spot right now. There is a lot of optimistic, feel-good talk about the potential of youth, but we need to also be aware of our rapidly increasing numbers. It is time to begin planning for our future. The present logically demands that we harness the demographic dividend we’ve been gifted. We need to focus on education and opportunity. About 4.75 million people are added to the labour force every year. They need to be trained. We have to invest in our human capital to be able to utilise its potential. What is the point of having all these enthusiastic, young people, eager to work if there are no jobs. Failure to create an enabling environment will be a missed opportunity for India. The present demands our immediate attention, but we cannot afford to lose sight of the future. Our demographics will change, its only a matter of time. By the second half of the century, the proportion of older persons will increase. We must begin preparing for that now. The impact of an ageing population is felt across the political, social and economic spectrum. It will come with its own set of pressures. We do not have adequate pension and health insurance schemes. There is no concept of a strong social security net. There will be fiscal and social challenges. There will be mental health issues, cultural challenges of integration, and conflict between generations if the demographic transition is not managed smoothly. It's not going to be easy. On the other hand, a growing population will put a strain on our limited resources. The problem is not limited to India. There are going to be around 11 billion of us on planet earth by the end of the century as per the United Nations. All of us scrambling for food, dealing with scarcity of water, grappling with climate change, environmental degradation, poverty, social instability and disease. How are we going to manage. The significance of Modi’s speech is not lost. The timing is right. Now is the time to be aware of what is coming. Our population is our strength at this moment, but it won’t last forever. Our youth brings us hope for the present. But we need to also start planning for the future. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Riding the ups and downs of the population curve

China`s northeastern province of Liaoning is planning to loosen birth restrictions and allow some couples to have a third child in a bid to improve dwindling fertility rates and stop its workforce from declining.

China introduced a controversial "one-child policy" in 1978, but relaxed restrictions in 2016 to allow all couples to have two children as it tried to rebalance its rapidly ageing population.

However, experts have called for more radical measures, with birth rates still in decline and China`s health services and pension funds expected to come under increasing strain as the number of elderly people increases.

Liaoning`s provincial government said on its website on Tuesday that revising family planning regulations was one of its major priorities for 2019 after previous adjustments failed to arrest the decline in its population.

The rustbelt province has drafted new regulations aimed at improving education, housing and social security and providing more financial support for families choosing to have two children. It will also allow some couples living in "border areas" to have a third child.

While the central government imposes family planning rules nationwide through thousands of family planning offices, it gives leeway to some regions. Ethnic minorities have usually been exempt from birth restrictions and rural families have also been allowed to have more children.

Liaoning`s birth rate fell to 6.39 per 1,000 people last year, far lower than the national rate of 10.94. Its population also dropped for the second consecutive year in 2018, hit not only by the decline in new births but also by an exodus of young people seeking work in other regions.&nbsp;

China`s northeastern province of Liaoning is planning to loosen birth restrictions and allow some couples to have a third child in a bid to improve dwindling fertility rates and stop its workforce from declining.

China`s northeastern province of Liaoning is planning to loosen birth restrictions and allow some couples to have a third child in a bid to improve dwindling fertility rates and stop its workforce from declining. China introduced a controversial "one-child policy" in 1978, but relaxed restrictions in 2016 to allow all couples to have two children as it tried to rebalance its rapidly ageing population. However, experts have called for more radical measures, with birth rates still in decline and China`s health services and pension funds expected to come under increasing strain as the number of elderly people increases. Liaoning`s provincial government said on its website on Tuesday that revising family planning regulations was one of its major priorities for 2019 after previous adjustments failed to arrest the decline in its population. The rustbelt province has drafted new regulations aimed at improving education, housing and social security and providing more financial support for families choosing to have two children. It will also allow some couples living in "border areas" to have a third child. While the central government imposes family planning rules nationwide through thousands of family planning offices, it gives leeway to some regions. Ethnic minorities have usually been exempt from birth restrictions and rural families have also been allowed to have more children. Liaoning`s birth rate fell to 6.39 per 1,000 people last year, far lower than the national rate of 10.94. Its population also dropped for the second consecutive year in 2018, hit not only by the decline in new births but also by an exodus of young people seeking work in other regions.

Chinese province considers 'three-child policy' to halt population decline

The ever-increasing population in the country has become a big concern for the government.&nbsp;

To counter the rising population the government is planning to launch measures at district levels in various states. &nbsp;

146 districts in the Indian states of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya have a very high rate of population growth.

Bihar tops the list of states with the highest population, while Uttar Pradesh ranks second. Meghalaya lies in the third position.&nbsp;

The Population explosion in these three states has become a serious concern for the government. Here the rate of increase in population is more than 3.1 per cent.

The total fertility rate (TFR) in 24 states in India is 2.1 per cent or less than it. TFR is important for stabilising the population of a state.&nbsp;

The Centre&#39;s measures to keep a check on the population will majorly focus on the 146 districts of these seven states.&nbsp;

The centre has devised a unique plan for each of the states.&nbsp;

The plan will also focus on awarding people of the rising population.&nbsp;

According to sources, the districts with increasing population have more Muslim inhabitants.&nbsp;

146 districts in the Indian states of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya have a very high rate of population growth

The ever-increasing population in the country has become a big concern for the government. To counter the rising population the government is planning to launch measures at district levels in various states. 146 districts in the Indian states of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya have a very high rate of population growth. Bihar tops the list of states with the highest population, while Uttar Pradesh ranks second. Meghalaya lies in the third position. The Population explosion in these three states has become a serious concern for the government. Here the rate of increase in population is more than 3.1 per cent. The total fertility rate (TFR) in 24 states in India is 2.1 per cent or less than it. TFR is important for stabilising the population of a state. The Centre's measures to keep a check on the population will majorly focus on the 146 districts of these seven states. The centre has devised a unique plan for each of the states. The plan will also focus on awarding people of the rising population. According to sources, the districts with increasing population have more Muslim inhabitants.

Centre draws district level plan to counter population explosion in country

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