The Population Bomb (1968) The phrase "population bomb" was first used in a 1958 pamphlet by advertising professional and entrepreneur
Hugh Moore. The original edition of
The Population Bomb began with this statement: By the end of the 1970s, this prediction and many others throughout the text proved to be wildly incorrect. However, they continued to argue that societies must take strong action to decrease population growth in order to mitigate future disasters, both ecological and social. A 2012 retrospective in the peer-reviewed journal Demography noted that many of the book's predictions did not materialize, as global food production kept pace with population growth and poverty rates declined in much of the world.
The Population Explosion (1990) In their sequel to
The Population Bomb, the Ehrlichs purport to describe how the world's growing population dwarfs the Earth's capacity to sustain current living standards and why overpopulation is the number one environmental problem. The book calls for action to confront population growth and the ensuing crisis: While the Ehrlichs concede that consumption and technology must also share the blame for environmental crises, priority should be given to achieving population control as a means of stopping further destruction. "Rapid population growth in poor nations is an important reason they stay poor, and overpopulation in those nations will greatly increase their destructive impact on the environment as they struggle to develop,".
''Why Isn't Everyone as Scared as We Are? (1993)'' This chapter of the book
Valuing the Earth: Economics, Ecology, Ehtics, is co-written by Anne H. Ehrlich and her husband, Paul R. Ehrlich. The chapter is the opening to the book, and the 'population problem' of the earth is relayed. The Ehrlichs warn about the rate at which the human population has grown and how it will grow. The problems that the Earth faces due to growing population include 'global warming' and the problems associated with the harm to the Earth caused by overpopulation."
Optimum Human Population Size (1994) In this paper, the Ehrlichs discuss their opinion on the 'optimal size' for human population, given current technological realities. They refer to establishing "social policies to influence fertility rates."
The Stork and the Plow (1995) A book about how poverty forces unsustainable use of natural resources, with proposals on how food production might stay ahead of population growth, together with
Gretchen C. Daily. The authors look at the interaction between population and food supply and offer a strategy for balancing human numbers with nutritional needs. Their proposals include improving the status of women by giving them equal education, reducing racism and religious prejudice, reforming the agricultural system, and shrinking the growing gap between rich and poor.
One With Nineveh (2005) The title refers to
Rudyard Kipling's 1897 poem "
Recessional", "
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday / Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!", alluding to the arrogance that went before the fall of historic
Mesopotamian civilizations. Named a Notable Book for 2005 by the
American Library Association, Ehrlich offers a lucid synthesis of the major issues of our time: rising consumption, still-growing world population, and unchecked political and economic inequity. Grounded in science, economics, and history, she puts political and environmental debates in a larger context and formulates a range of possible solutions for improving our future prospects, from local actions to reform of national government to international initiatives.
The Dominant Animal (2008) In
The Dominant Animal, Paul and Anne Ehrlich examine the trajectory of human evolution, tracing the development from early foraging to a modern, technologically advanced society that influences global ecosystems. They analyze how this dominant status affects the planet and, in turn, human welfare. The book addresses the potential risks to the species resulting from this environmental impact and offers perspectives on altering this trajectory.
Can a collapse of global civilization be avoided? (2013) This report reminds readers of how the collapse of numerous civilizations has, in the past, been caused by the degradation of nature, and discusses how that process in present times makes a global collapse appear likely. Overpopulation,
overconsumption by the rich, and poor choices of technologies are asserted as major drivers; dramatic cultural change provides the main hope of averting calamity. == Awards and honors ==