The world's population is growing faster than at any time in history. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were 2 billion people. The total population rose to 6 billion by the 21st century, and the world is now growing by 1 billion people every 14 years. At this rate, the world's population will double in just over 50 years.
Because this is a global situation, it's easy to shrug these numbers off. A number of the challenges coastal resource managers face, however, are related to population growth. With more than 50 percent of the U.S. population now living in coastal areas—a number that is projected to rise—the heavy demands on our coastal and ocean resources are likely to increase.
Nowhere are the effects of population growth more apparent than on islands where land and resources are finite. The problems were becoming so apparent to coastal resource managers in American Samoa that they helped lead an island-wide effort to examine the problems and determine the steps needed to sustain the territory's growing population.
While it may be out of the norm for coastal managers to address population growth, officials in American Samoa say this issue ultimately is impacting coastal resources and that there is often no one else to begin the planning needed for the growth that is coming.
Much of the planning, they say, involves improving land management and balancing land use, which is one of the themes of the biennial symposium, Coastal Zone 03 (CZ03), being held July 13 to 17 in Baltimore, Maryland.
I encourage you to attend as much of CZ03 as possible, and to take part in discussions on smart growth, green infrastructure, water quality, and other issues.
With over 1,000 participants from around the world, there will be no better opportunity to share ideas and solutions. To register, point your browser to www.csc.noaa.gov/cz2003/.
-- Margaret A. Davidson
