Effects of demographic change on environmental degradation: Evidence and implications for India

Abstract

In the recent decade, India has seen remarkable changes in the age structure due to demographic transition. This has further influenced the society and economy in a positive side and however, changing demographic trends and consumption pattern in India has been causing eco-degradation and environmental pollution, and therefore an issue of changing demographics and its effects on environmental degradation is a serious issue in the present pattern of population dynamics. Though there is a currently fair understanding of the ways in which the India’s population is changing as well as of the social and economic implications of these changes, little attention has so far been paid to its possible environmental impacts. In this background, this particular paper tries to understand how the changing demographic trends have affected environment in India, and seeks to identify measures both to mitigate environmental damage and increase resource use efficiency.