Contraception 'can aid environment'

18 September 2009 12:12am

Greater use of contraceptives could help reduce the global impact of climate change, according to a leading medical journal.

In an editorial, The Lancet said more than 200 million women worldwide wanted contraceptives but lacked access to them.

Addressing this need could prevent 76 million unintended pregnancies each year, slow population growth and reduce demographic pressure on the environment, it said.

The journal said: "Countries in the developing world least responsible for the growing emissions are likely to experience the heaviest impact of climate change, with women bearing the greatest toll.

"In tandem with other factors, rapid population growth in these regions increases the scale of vulnerability to the consequences of climate change, for example, food and water scarcity, environmental degradation, and human displacement."

The Lancet also criticised non-government organisations (NGOs) for "working in silos" and avoiding the varied approach needed to change social attitudes.

A study soon to be published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) showed that 37 of the least developed countries appreciated the link between population growth and climate change. However, only six of them identified family planning as part of their adaptation strategy. This was possibly because family planning fell under the remit of health rather than environment ministries, said The Lancet.

Only 7% of 448 projects submitted by developing countries to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change involved the health sector.

The Lancet highlighted a successful programme in Ethiopia which trained people in sustainable land management at the same time as increasing the availability of family planning. It resulted in an immediate improvement to the environment with better agricultural practices.

"The sexual and reproductive health and rights community should challenge the global architecture of climate change, and its technology focus, and shift the discussion to a more human-based, rights-based adaptation approach," said the editorial. "Such a strategy would better serve the range of issues pivotal to improving the health of women worldwide."

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