Growing population places environment under strain

London: The United Kingdom's growing population, a rising number of older people and an increase in households with fewer people in them is putting the environment under intense strain, a report warned yesterday.

Shifts in the demographics of Britain have created "crunch points" in the south-east and other urban centres, with water supplies, air quality and waste management all suffering from the impact of greater demand and consumption.

The cost of fixing Britain's environmental problems will soar without fresh efforts to reduce waste, use less resources and draw people to less populated areas, the authors add.

The consequences of Britain's shifting population are outlined in a report from the royal commission on environmental pollution entitled Demographic Change and the Environment. It is the last document to be published by the quango before it is scrapped next month.

The report dismisses a claim by the charity, the Optimum Population Trust, that Britain's best hope of achieving environmental sustainability is to reduce the population by more than half to 30 million people.

"We're saying that's absolute nonsense," said Sir John Lawton, commission chair.

"Even if it were possible or desirable to reduce the birth rate, halt the trend for people to live longer, or achieve zero net migration, there would be little significant reduction in the population of the United Kingdom over the next 40 years."

Projected increase

Britain's population is expected to reach 71.6 million in 2033, rising from 61.9 million in 2009, according to the Office of National Statistics. At the same time, the Department of Work and Pensions predicts a significant increase in the number of people over 65, with nearly one in five people alive today expected to see their 100th birthday. The number of households is on the rise too, from 21.5 million in 2006 to an estimated 27.8 million in 2031.

Many demographic changes have both positive and negative impacts on the environment. People over 65 typically use more energy to heat their homes, but they travel far less than younger people, for example. And while larger households use more electricity, gas and water, per capita consumption is low because people share more.