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Scientists’ Warning: Population as a Threat to Security

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  • Jan Greguš
Jan Greguš
Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3197/whpjps.63887831800457

Published 2026-05-12

Keywords

  • population growth,
  • human security,
  • environmental security,
  • reproductive ethics,
  • contraception

How to Cite

Greguš, Jan. 2026. “Scientists’ Warning: Population As a Threat to Security”. The Journal of Population and Sustainability, May, 1-27. https://doi.org/10.3197/whpjps.63887831800457.

Copyright (c) 2026 Jan Greguš

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

A high population is not only causing environmental problems, such as climate change, degradation and pollution, but also security threats, including food insecurity, water scarcity, unemployment, social conflict, violent extremism, resource-driven wars, and forced migration. If societies continue to view these threats in isolation and ignore population as a contributing factor, the security crisis will not be resolved long-term. Security is achievable, however, if governments make rational choices to reduce population via embracing reproductive ethics of small(er) families and provide affordable access to contraception to all those who ask for it. These are inexpensive interventions that deliver rapid returns, but a lack of political will reflects a lack of understanding that human reproduction has not only ethical, but also security implications. It is also essential to put emphasis on placing human and environmental security ahead of national security, because security is no longer a country- or region-specific matter, but rather a shared burden and one that humanity as a whole must (ethically) respond to.

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