Tax and legislation

We need to protect the environment with enforced legislation which creates incentives and disincentives to change. This is especially important to reduce pollution and increase energy efficiency in the construction of buildings. We could ensure that materials are sold at their true cost to avoid waste.

We could have subsidies for building insulation and building design with guidelines for greater efficiency.

There could be greater financial support for research and development into energy efficiency from sustainable and renewable sources.

There could be higher taxes on petrol to encourage better fuel economy. When planning land use, ecological considerations could be made a priority over financial reward.

Population

The world needs a population policy, a form of management which will shape its own population. Universal access to family planning, information and services is essential. There could be incentives such as financial support for small families and disincentives could exist for large family numbers. In developing countries important social and cultural factors need to be considered. Poverty results in an increase in population growth because poor families need children for work and later to sustain elderly parents. More employment opportunities will reduce poverty. Forms of welfare such as social security and pensions and enforced working minimum age laws can be introduced. Countries which are not able to afford welfare payments can be assisted. The population explosion is a world problem. Improved public health and nutrition will bring down infant mortality rates. Then parents will not need extra children as an insurance against child deaths.

Currently less than 1.5% of official development aid goes towards population assistance. It is estimated that the world needs to spend upwards of US$7 billion a year if it is to have any impact on population growth. Compared with the $1 trillion a year the world squanders on weapons this figure pales in significance.

We can reduce the problem of migration by stimulating job creation and improving the standard of living in the home country. Birth control is particularly difficult to implement in countries with strong religious superstitions. If all unwanted pregnancies could be avoided, world birth rates could be reduced by 25 to 40%.