ISSUES
: Our Changing Population
Chapter 2: Global population issues
22
Migration
Population growth and
migration
The recent surge in refugees trying to
reach Europe has brought renewed
attention to the conflicts and power
struggles occurring in the Middle
East and North Africa. Very often a
major contributor to the instability –
one that commonly is overlooked – is
population growth.
The situation in Syria is a perfect
example. The country experienced
a drought in 2009. This coupled
with rapid population growth and
insufficient resources to satisfy the
needs of all contributed to the unstable
situation that led to popular uprisings.
Climate change also was a factor.
Increased temperatures and harsher
weather conditions exacerbated the
negative impacts of the drought.
A related problem often created by
population growth is ‘youth bulge’.
When large populations of young
people are present in weak or
autocratic states, unrest often ensues.
As states fail to provide employment
opportunities, access to resources
and services such as education and
healthcare, discontent and instability
occur – particularly amongst younger
people. This typically leads to young
people seeking more secure means
of providing for themselves and their
families elsewhere.
Most countries categorised as ‘weak
and under stress’ by the World Bank
are nations that have experienced
rapid increases in population.
“Overpopulation in states unable to
provide for the needs of their citizens
is very likely to create large waves of
migration to wealthier countries,” said
Population Matters Chief Executive
Simon Ross.
Conflict and migration
Conflict is one response to scarcity
of resources. Although a lack of
resources is rarely stated as the
justification for war, such lack is often
an underlying factor. Intercountry and
civil war are the most extreme cases,
but many lesser forms of conflict –
food riots, for example – also can arise
when resources are in short supply.
Competition for resources resulting
frompopulation growth can engender
conflict and disruption arising from
conflict can in turn reduce access to
family planning services. Failed and
fragile states do typically have a high
birth rate.
Migration is another response. Global
migration is at record levels and likely
to increase still further as population
growth, increased exploitation and
climate change increase pressure
on resources – particularly fisheries.
Increasing unemployment in poorer
countries will lead growing numbers
to seek a better life abroad.
Migration can bring benefits to
both individuals and countries. The
individual can gain access to new
opportunities and the country of
origin receives monies sent back to
relatives. Some countries rely on such
remittances for a large proportion of
their income. Likewise, the country of
destination obtains skills and labour.
Large-scale and persistent net
immigration can result in an
imbalance between demand for
consumption
and
sustainable
resources. These flows of people
represent a humanitarian crisis and
put pressure on the sustainability
of destination countries. Migrants
from poor to rich countries increase
their own consumption levels to
match the unsustainable levels of
their adopted country. Sustained
net migration therefore exacerbates
global unsustainability.
Countries throughout the world are
responding to higher population
levels and increasing migration by
limiting immigration. No matter what
level is set, policies should be applied
in a humane and nondiscriminatory
manner and the right to asylum of
those in fear should be maintained.
We believe the only just and long-
term solution to migration pressure
is to address its underlying causes
in the countries of origin, such as
poverty, lack or overexploitation
of resources, climate change and
conflict. Developed countries have
a clear moral responsibility to help
with this because they contribute to
migratory pressure by being both
major consumers of resources from
developing countries and the principal
source of the causes of climate
change.
For countries that have an ecological
footprint larger than their carrying
capacity, we propose limiting
immigration to the extent necessary to
allow population numbers to decrease
gradually to a sustainable level.
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The above information is
reprinted with kind permission
from Population Matters. Please
visit
for further information.
© Population Matters 2015
