To the Editor:
The security threat forced by global climate change is certainly a worrisome issue. But if the root cause of climate change is not addressed, all attempts to ameliorate this threat will fail. That underlying cause is the rampant growth of the human population.
The strain we place on our planet’s natural resources is independent of increasing temperatures and rising sea levels. They will simply make the impending crisis happen earlier and with greater force.
In just the last 40 years, we have added 3 billion people to the planet, going from a population of 3.7 billion to 6.7 billion. It is estimated that at least 9 billion humans will be searching for food, clean water and energy in another 40 years.
The Earth’s great gift of oil may be completely gone. Imagine a world with no oil and 9 billion people, with more on the way.
It is not just our carbon footprint we need to reduce; it is our human footprint.
Tobias Owen
Honolulu, Aug. 9, 2009
The writer is an astronomer.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 