THE EFFECT OF POPULATION-GROWTH ON ENVIRONMENTAL-QUALITY

This paper summarizes research on the effect of population growth on e nvironmental quality. Land transformations induced by the spatial expa nsion of agriculture are probably the major route by which population growth has affected features of the natural environment. These transfo rmations are not automatic and their extent is influenced by social in stitutions. Intensification of agricultural land use is an alternative response with its own set of environmental implications. These are es pecially salient in the case of expanded irrigation. In contrast to re lations in the agricultural sector, a new version of the conventional I = PAT equation is introduced to suggest that population growth is a minor influence on the extent of industrial pollution. Nevertheless, p opulation policy may play a useful role in strategies to reduce indust rial pollution.