ZERO POPULATION

[sumairaalwani@yahoo.com]

Zero population growth (also called the replacement level of fertility) refers to stabilization of a population at its current level. A population growth rate of zero means that people are only replacing themselves, and that the birth and death rates over several generations are in balance. In more developed countries (MDC), where infant mortality rates are low, a fertility rate of about 2.2 children per couple results in zero population growth. This rate is slightly more than two because the extra fraction includes infant deaths, infertile couples, and couples who choose not to have children. In less developed countries (LDC), the replacement level of fertility is often as high as six children per couple.
Zero population growth, as a term, lends its name to a national, non-profit organization founded in 1968 by Paul R. Ehrlich, which works to achieve a sustainable balance between population, resources, and the environment worldwide.
To avoid human suffering, Malthusians pursue worldwide zero population growth (ZPG). Because worldwide mortality levels are low, a society can attain ZPG through replacement fertility. If the average number of children born to women in a particular society equals two, then it has reached replacement fertility or ZPG. Governments today annually spend a total of $900 million to promote ZPG, mostly in less developed countries. ZPG is also the name of a nongovernmental organization that advocates for population awareness. Its origin in 1968 was inspired by Paul Ehrlich's Population Bomb.