Population Dynamics, Environmental Sustainability and Governance: A Framework for Population Footprints

Protap Mukherjee, Jawaharlal Nehru University

The interrelationship between human population growth and global carrying capacity have been discussed, examined and debated in the academic literatures. This relationship is complex, multidimensional, and has different patterns at global and regional levels. The main objective of this paper is to formulate a framework for ‘Population Footprints’. To build this framework, the levels, patterns and linkages among environmental system, environmental stress, human population dynamics, social and institutional capacity have been examined. Secondly, a composite index for population footprint has been built as a summary measure. A final framework has been developed to show the interrelationship among present population footprints, future environmental sustainability and role of governance as a conduit between these two indicators. Data have been obtained from “Environmental Sustainability Index (2005)” by YCELP and CIESIN, different United Nations and World Bank reports. Framework explains that future sustainability of a region depends on present population footprints and governance.