Population growth, resource consumption, and the environment

The pressing global problem "Population and the Environment: Population Pressures, Resource Consumption, Religions, and Ethics" was the topic of discussion during the International Summer Institute organized by the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society (University of Victoria), held at Chateau Whistler (Whistler, British Columbia), 18-27 August 1993.

Leading scholars from Europe, South Asia, the United States, and Canada gathered at Whistler, B.C., to examine the role of religion in shaping people's attitudes and behavior toward the environment, the pressure of increasing population, and the use of earth's resources. To those in developed countries the biggest threat to the environment often seems to be the world's rapidly expanding population.

However, from the perspective of developing countries, the problem is not too many people, but the excessive use of the world's resources by the relatively small population of the rich developed countries. It is this double-sided problem that was examined by ethics specialists from the major world religions and the aboriginal traditions, as well as experts in economics, law, family planning, and demography.

Also, fellowships had been awarded to eight graduate students from across Canada to enable them to participate. The event was not an academic conference but a series of working research seminars aimed at producing public-policy recommendations for decision makers in government, religions, corporations, and NGOs. This book presents a public-policy summary of the academic chapters presented at the Summer Institute.