Saving the planet isn’t likely to be anyone’s first reason for limiting the size of their family – but a radical new initiative to cut CO2 argues that paying for family planning in the developing world is effective and achievable.

A new website, www.popoffsets.com, tells users their average CO2 emissions by nationality and then allows them to make a contribution to family planning initiatives around the world. The site is an initiative of the Optimum Population Trust, a UK charity. David Burton, environmental strategist for the organisation, says the plan is backed by hard calculations.

“Four euros spent on family planning offsets one ton of carbon. That compares to 15 euros spent on wind farms, for example.”

Listen to the interview with David Burton

Significant savings
Carbon offsetting is a controversial climate change mitigation strategy, as the very people responsible for the highest carbon emissions globally – wealthy Westerners – are the ones who can afford offsets. If you’re able to travel regularly by plane, then you’re almost certainly able to pay a relatively small sum to offset the carbon emitted by your plane. Mr Burton says carbon offsetting is not an alternative to changing one’s lifestyles, but family planning can make a real contribution to reducing emissions.

“Somebody who has access to family planning today, may not give birth to an unwanted child in nine months time.”

The human burden
The human population – 6.8 billion and rising – is already overburdening the planet’s resources, Mr Burton says. The idea that people’s desire for children might be influenced by environmental concerns is not very realistic, but far from every pregnancy is planned – or wanted.

“Eighteen million births a year are unwanted and there’s something like 200 million women around the world who want contraception and don’t have access to it. If we can deliver family planning to people who want it, then we could see a more stable world population, more sustainable use of resources, and lower outputs of carbon dioxide.”

Quality of life
Carbon offsetting programmes have also been controversial for their impact on local populations, particularly a tree-planting scheme in Uganda that saw 300 families evicted from their land. But Mr Burton is confident the PopOffsets programme will improve quality of life. 

The initiative works with local organisations that can apply for funding. One such project is in Madagascar, Mr Burton says, where locals face depleting fish stocks.

“They recognise that if they can moderate their families’ size, they can all have greater access to the fish stocks and live a better quality of life.”

Taboo
And as for the taboo attached to contraceptives – particularly thanks to religious leaders eager to expand their flock – Mr Burton cited an unlikely example of reality trumping faith.

“Iran is one the of the success stories, where the Islamic mullahs have actually supported family planning. The average number of children born to couples now has dropped to two, which is pretty well the replacement level, and Iran is now fast approaching sustainable levels of population.”