The Dissenter
#1062 Nandita Bajaj: We Have an Overpopulation Problem
Feb 21, 2025
Nandita Bajaj, Executive Director of Population Balance and a senior lecturer at Antioch University, dives deep into the pressing issue of overpopulation. She explores the historical context and ecological implications of human expansion, emphasizing the need for sustainable growth. The conversation also tackles the societal pressures of pronatalism and its impact on women's reproductive rights. Additionally, Nandita challenges the misconception that higher birth rates are necessary to support aging populations, advocating instead for a focus on elder care.
52:22
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Quick takeaways
- Overpopulation leads to ecological overshoot, causing environmental degradation and climate crises due to unsustainable resource consumption.
- Pronatalism pressures women to have children, undermining their reproductive rights, despite evidence that lower birth rates can enhance social conditions.
Deep dives
Understanding Overpopulation and Carrying Capacity
The concept of overpopulation is rooted in the ecological term 'carrying capacity', which refers to the maximum number of individuals an ecosystem can sustainably support. Historically, the human population remained below one million for the vast majority of our existence, allowing for a balanced coexistence with the planet's wildlife. However, in recent centuries, human population has surged to over eight billion, resulting in significant environmental degradation and crises across multiple domains including climate change and resource scarcity. This unsustainable demand is termed 'ecological overshoot', as humans are currently consuming resources at a rate that exceeds the Earth's capacity to regenerate.
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