Cape Town - World Population Day was observed on Monday, with the theme “A world of 8 billion: Towards a resilient future for all – harnessing opportunities and ensuring rights and choices for all”.
It drew attention to increasing population-related problems, including the impact of rapid population growth and development on the environment. In 2011, the world population was seven billion.
South Africa’s population is estimated to be 60,8 million, with a net increase of one person every 44 seconds.
The Western Cape is estimated to be the third-most populated province, with 11.9% of the national population.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell said population-related problems and their effect on the environment is growing.
“We are seeing a growth in population in the Western Cape of more than 100 000 people each year. Population dynamics, whether it is simply numbers of people, or... the way in which they move into or out of a region, has profound implications for our natural environment, as well as service delivery to our people,” Bredell said.
He said Cape Town has the largest share of the provincial population, with about 4.75 million people (65.8%) living in the metro.
Michael Wolf, spokesperson of environmental campaign group Extinction Rebellion (XR) Cape Town, said population growth meant more consumption and increased residential and commercial development, which had a detrimental effect on climate stability, species extinction and other environmental areas of concern.
The province’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning environmental sustainability chief director, Karen Shippey, said: “This rapid population growth also puts pressure on our environment. We know that during the Covid-19 lockdown many people lost their employment and shelter and this put people struggling with poverty in even more vulnerable positions. Many people resorted to unlawful occupation of sites across the province which are not suitable for human settlement.”
Shippey said projected population growth, paired with the housing and basic service delivery requirements for settlements, was increasing pollution and waste, transforming productive land and disrupting nature’s ability to provide flood retention, water security and insect-based pollination.
