How fast is our population growing?
There were 1 billion people in the world in 1800; 2 billion in 1930; 6 billion in 2000; 7.4 billion today. Although the rate of population growth has slowed in recent years, we were adding 80 million per year in 2013 … and we are still adding 80 million people per year today (the same number in absolute terms).
Why is this a problem?
The Earth’s capacity to support life is physically finite. Moreover, environmental degradation, climate change and resource depletion are steadily reducing the number of people the Earth can sustain.
But population growth is predicted to stabilise at some point?
Indefinite population growth being physically impossible, it must stop at some point: either sooner, through fewer births by contraception and humane, pro-active population policy; or later, through more deaths by famine, disease, war, or environmental collapse; or some combination of these.
Read Population Matters’ position statement on Population Policy and the Environment:
The demographic issue remains essentially a taboo subject in discussions about the environment. If you believe it’s time to integrate it into these discussions, particularly at the COP22, please sign this petition (it closes on 14 November 2016)
URGENT: please sign this petition:
Two important websites on population issues.
Click images to check out the websites.
To see growth patterns through history, watch the video below:
And to see what is needed to stay balanced, watch the video below:
Podcast:
Click image to go to podcast section of World Population Balance.