Population Explosion On The Enviroment

Ben-Gurion University team presents environment movement report to Israel's ...

Ben-Gurion University team presents environment movement report to Israel's Knesset 'Lack of funding, membership and focus on Israel's overpopulation issue will make Israel ecologically barren and socially untenable,' says Professor Alon Tal

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, June 22, 2011 – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's (BGU) Prof. Alon Tal presented the most comprehensive report to date on Israel's environmental movement. It details the movement's lack of training, involvement of experts and public support, as well as its perilous dependence on foreign donations.

The report, "Israel's Environmental Movement: Trends, Needs and Potential," was presented to Knesset Speaker MK Reuven Rivlin on Tuesday as part of Environment Day at the Knesset. Prof. Alon Tal, of the Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research at BGU's Sede Boqer campus, offered a detailed portrait of the current movement and recommendations for its future.

While the mainstream population of Israel is becoming more environmentally aware, large population segments, such as the Arab and Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) sectors still remain for the most part unengaged, the report's authors found. As the two sectors are the fastest growing in Israel, Tal recommends actively increasing the environmental movement's engagement with these populations.

The report recommends addressing the "elephant in the room" – the issue of overpopulation. Israel is the most crowded of the Western countries, yet continues to pursue a vigorous pro-natal and pro-immigration policy. Much of Israel's environmental problems can be attributed to a population explosion from one million people in 1950 to 7.7 million people in 2011 – a scant 61 years.

"The environmental movement must start to address population policy in the same way that environmental movements abroad do so," Tal explains. "Sadly, no organization or philanthropic organization is willing to seriously address these issues, which will ultimately make Israel ecologically barren and socially untenable," he says, suggesting that the complex issues be addressed in a sensitive but proactive manner.

Israel's environmental movement is just 20 years-old and significant changes have taken place in its second decade, including the establishment of more than 50 new organizations. The movement's umbrella organization, Life and Environment, now boasts more than 100 member-organizations.

The report is based on a detailed questionnaire completed by 98 organizations, as well as in-depth interviews with over 30 environmental leaders in Israel to draw a picture of a movement out of its infancy, but still struggling to establish itself professionally. These non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have learned to work together and are remarkably homogenous in terms of priorities and messages. Formal and ad-hoc coalitions have sprung up at a surprising rate, the survey revealed.

Population explosion; a major environmental issue in Male'

Make up the Male’ city. Total area of the city is 5.798 km², which has a population of 103,693 (as per 2006 census). Male’ is the social, economical and recreational hub of Maldives provided with wide range of facilities and infrastructure. Also Male’ has a commercial harbor making it the centre of commercial activities in the country. Hulhule’ Island is basically an airport Island that hosts the Male’ International Airport and hence is the gateway to the Maldives. Male’ can be considered as one of the most densely populated capital of the world.

What is Population Explosion?

The basic textbook definition for the term Population Explosion is the increase in individuals occupying a particular specific area at a given time. In other words it is another name that can be used for the term “Overpopulation”. Overpopulation happens to be a common trend found in the developing countries around the world.

Overpopulation does not necessarily have to be the result of increased birthrate in that particular area but also can be due to the immigration into that particular area by people from other areas. When the number of any species, in this case Humans, exceeds the carrying capacity of that particular environment, it results in several effects which may include the depletion of resources, environmental deterioration, degradation and pollution. Other social effects include increase in violence, crime, over crowdedness and unemployment.

Population growth in Male’

Male’ being the social, economical and recreational hub of Maldives provided with wide range of facilities and infrastructure attracts people from all parts of the country. Therefore inhabitants of this small but very lively Male’ are mostly from different parts of the Maldives.

Why rapid population growth in Male’?

1-     Better medical facilities: Male’ is equipped with the finest hospitals in the country, with better facilities and hospital resources. People from all parts of Maldives are in a way forced to come to the capital to get treated since not all Island medical centers and regional hospitals are well equipped with either doctors or proper facility.

2-     Better education opportunities: Again Male’ being the most well developed Island in the chain, naturally education and schooling is far better than those in the Island communities. Schools, colleges and other education institutes in Maldives are solely based in the capital city where latest facility and quality faculty is available. In order to get a better and more quality education a lot of the Islanders have come and settled in Male’.