Population Explosion

Because of this, the Optimum Population Trust has said that the Government should hold an inquiry into the number of people that the UK can support and offer a good quality of life without damaging the environment. They say that overpopulation puts Britain’s security at risk and call for a Royal Commission to establish an environmentally sustainable level of population for the UK as part of an overall national population policy.

A policy such as this says it is “critical to the UK’s future, and is long overdue”. The UK provides only 30% of its economic needs from within its boundaries and ranks among the world’s 20 least self-sufficient and most over-populated countries, with an estimated “too many” 42million people. Surveys that have been produced show that most people think that Britain is overcrowded and record numbers show that people have been emigrating.

The UK’s population is projected by the Office for National Statistics to increase to 70million over the next twenty years and 85million by 2081, with immigration being the main factor; responsible for at least two thirds of projected growth. OPT says that immigration feeds through into rising greenhouse gas emissions; more crowding, congestion, and development. Increased pressure on water and energy supplies, farmland and green space are also a factor.

Based on a population growth forecast and household formation rates, at least 10million more flats and houses will be needed for new immigrants and their descendants, this is roughly three times the number of homes in London.