Population and Environment Relationships in Developing Countries: A Select Review of Approaches and Methods

Mahendra Panda, Indian Council of Medical Research
Kanhu Ch. Satapathy, Indian Statistical Institute

Diversity of opinion, theory, and conceptual approaches characterizes to discuss the issue related to the population and environment relationships in developing countries. Population and environment relationships, including the understanding of global relationships, may emerge from the accumulation of micro-level studies. This understanding, however, will be built upon empirical evidence rather than the researcher's assumptions. Micro-level studies most importantly offer a way to accumulate and apply, little by little, information for constructing realistic policies affecting population and environment relationships at the household, community, regional, and ultimately national level and alternative foundation of grass-roots involvement rather than global pronouncements of doom. The adage, 'Think global and Act Local' has particular significance in this context. For the near future, the 'bottom-up' approach of micro-level study rather than the 'trickle-down' approach of macro-level study should be the driving force in social science research on population and environment relationships. This paper is an attempt in this perspective.