16: Population Policies the U.S. Needs

Dave the Planet

In order to get the nation out of ecological overshoot, we need to stop pursuing population growth and adopt a population policy that will voluntarily and ethically contract our population. This is, of course, in addition to policies to reduce our material and energy consumption.

Presidential candidate Dave Gardner invited a few of the experts he would appoint to a President’s Council on Population Policy, to make a start at sketching out the needed policies. After a century mistakenly celebrating and pursuing population growth, we need to turn things upside down, root out pronatalist policies, and implement policies that encourage and reward small-family choices.

We’re publishing this episode of the Dave the Planet podcast in observance of World Population Day, July 11. World Population Day has been the day most news media ignore the topic of human overpopulation, just as they do the other 364 days of the year. It’s the day the United Nations tap-dances around the subject, as well. One discussion point in this conversation is the need for open, honest conversation acknowledging the overpopulation and ecological overshoot crises. Dave Gardner promises to do that if elected U.S. President.

Here are the expert advisors convened for this workshop to begin crafting 21st century population policy:

Phil Cafaro

Professor of Philosophy, Colorado State University

Senior Researcher, The Overpopulation Project

Author:

How Many Is Too Many? The Progressive Argument for Reducing Immigration into the United States

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20948687-how-many-is-too-many

Life on the Brink: Environmentalists Confront Overpopulation

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14984966-life-on-the-brink

Carter Dillard

Policy Director and Board Member, Fair Start Movement

Author: Justice as a Fair Start in Life: Understanding the Right to Have Children

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62140570-justice-as-a-fair-start-in-life

Trevor Hedberg, PhD

Assistant Professor of Practice, W.A Franke Honors College, Philosophy Department, University of Arizona

Author: The Environmental Impact of Overpopulation: The Ethics of Procreation

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50552291-the-environmental-impact-of-overpopulation

Karin Kuhlemann

Author:

Overpopulation, Or the Stories We Tell Ourselves

https://www.academia.edu/35846301/Overpopulation_or_the_stories_we_tell_ourselves

Population Governance

https://www.academia.edu/103990219/Population_Governance_Authors_manuscript_

The Right to Procreate and the Legitimate Scope of Anti-natalist Policies

https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10165577/2/K%20Kuhlemann%20manuscript%20clean%202023.pdf

UK-based Attorney

We didn’t finalize specific policies, but we asked all the right questions and examined the critical issues, a major step in developing population policy. Watch the population policy page at Dave Gardner’s presidential campaign website: https://davetheplanet2024.com/population

Background on ecological overshoot, for those unfamiliar with the concept:

Welcome to Overshoot: Have a Nice Day

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3dpw1hKRuaz5jKuEUirJax?si=cy6S-rkRRhaVyRT5LFr3wg

Follow this podcast for a ringside seat to Dave Gardner’s adventures running for U.S. President. If elected, Dave will declare an ecological overshoot emergency and launch a national project to get the nation out of overshoot. Podcast guests don't necessarily endorse Dave for president. We’ve got a planet to save, and the U.S. should do its part. Learn more, subscribe to campaign updates, volunteer, or donate to the campaign at https://davetheplanet2024.com