New NPG Forum Paper Warns of Potential Pandemic Threat and Examines the Population Factor
- NPG
- September 11, 2024
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Explore the critical connection between population growth and the spread of infectious diseases in the latest NPG Forum paper
Alexandria, VA, (September 11, 2024): Negative Population Growth, Inc. (NPG) proudly announces the release of a groundbreaking Forum paper titled “Disease Pandemics and the Population Factor,” authored by Nathanial Gronewold. This pivotal paper sheds light on the potential dangers posed by pandemics in the context of our growing global population, urging immediate action and consideration of sustainable population levels.
The COVID-19 pandemic claimed at least 7 million lives in just three years, reminding us of the vulnerabilities of a densely populated world. However, an H5N1 bird flu pandemic could be even more catastrophic, with implications that extend far beyond our current crisis. In this paper, Gronewold stresses the urgency of preventing such a scenario while advocating for future population declines to support a sustainable global economy.
Bird flu has spread to every US state except Hawaii and reached every continent except Australia, even affecting animal populations in Antarctica. Alarmingly, the current US outbreak marks the first time avian influenza has thrived in cattle, jumping from cows to humans. Fortunately, those affected thus far reported only mild symptoms, but the potential for the virus to evolve into a more lethal form cannot be ignored.
Gronewold’s paper highlights the critical role of population density in facilitating the spread of diseases, both in human and animal populations. “There are limits to growth and limits to population growth,” he notes. “Crowding facilitates the spread of diseases. This is just a fact.”
The human population, now at 8 billion and rising, is increasingly susceptible to pandemics. Avian influenza has been lethally transmitted to humans in 50% of cases over the past 20 years, prompting the US government to accelerate vaccine development with Moderna. With H5N1 detected in Texas wastewater samples, now is the time for heightened awareness and action.
Gronewold emphasizes that while the threat is real, our modern world—with its advanced hygiene, medicine, communication, and governance—offers hope. He also warns readers: “Though far too many of us don’t want to hear it, the fact that it’s even remotely probable (unlikely, perhaps, but plausible) that this virus might, under certain evolutionary conditions, end up killing billions of people is all the proof we need that there are far too many of us on this planet. Our airports are far too crowded, our cities are far too densely populated, and our methods of producing enough animal protein to feed 8 billion people are far too susceptible to serious, even potentially fatal, problems.”
This new Forum paper invites readers to reflect on the significant implications of population growth for the spread of potentially fatal diseases and consider proactive measures for a healthier, more sustainable future. Towards the end of his work, Gronewold highlights the gravity of the situation, noting: “Long story short, the larger and more crowded the human population, the greater the risk of a devastatingly corrective decimating factor like a deadly global pandemic entering the picture. As it is with nature, so it is with society.”
Since 1972, NPG has worked to educate both the public and policy leaders about the impacts of overpopulation. With a steadfast commitment to reducing population growth to achieve a sustainable balance with our environmental resources, NPG continues to be a leading voice of reason in a world often driven by the pursuit of perpetual growth. We do not simply identify the problems – we propose solutions. For more information, visit our website at NPG.org, follow us on Facebook @NegativePopulationGrowth or follow us on X @npg_org.
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