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1- Context

Mankind is confronted today with global problems stemming from the interactions between population dynamics, economic development and the environment (in short, the population-environment-development or PED framework). The effects of population growth and poverty on the of interrelations between societies and the environment involve major risks since they can have serious adverse effects on the renewal of natural resources and the ecological foundations of development. In particular, continued population growth will inevitably lead to further degradation of the environment if measures for generalizing the increased productivity of natural resources are not implemented in the respect the laws of sustainable development.

Countries must therefore implement development policies integrating population growth and economic production, as well as the preservation of natural resources. However, the scientific community is neither addressing this fundamental problem in a coordinated fashion nor is it contributing to political debate on the issue. It must therefore be mobilized to initiate global reflection able to inform and enlighten governments, economic players and civil society.