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The U.S. population was 266.5 million as of January 1997, and it is continuing to grow by about 2.5 million persons per year, or 1% annually. The Census Bureau projects that if current trends continue, the U.S. population will reach 347 million by 2030.
While there is no consensus on the ideal population level or rate of growth, there is general agreement that if the world’s population continues to increase at current rates, the related consumption of resources and the generation of wastes could have detrimental impacts on the environment, the economy, and society. At the same time, increases in population can also augment the workforce and the intellectual capacities needed to address future challenges.
Although it may not be feasible for the U.S. population to grow indefinitely, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the sustainability of a specific population level or rate of growth without examining factors such as the Nation’s natural resource base, social service capabilities, and ability to ensure that all members of society have opportunities to succeed. Policy makers need a wide range of information as they respond to the needs of a growing and aging population and develop and implement immigration policies. Additional work is needed in this area if we are to develop an indicator that captures the full range of variables that relate to population in the context of sustainable development.
Link(s) to be added, when feasible, to data at level of detail suitable
for use at the community level.
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http://www.sdi.gov/indicators/lc_popn.htm Last Modified: May 13, 2002 |