Global population has hit 8 billion.

[wilkos_perm]

I agree the growth is slowing, but that extra 4 billion people in 42 years to me, means double the carbon and methane and the loss of a lot of forests to agriculture.

The amount of drinkable water is declining and will decline, but the population is increasing that is particularly scary. I see how many people eat too many calories and how we can use fertilisers more effectively, but its much harder to make drinkable water and every human needs at least a litre a day?

The population is likely to flat line at around 10 or 11 billion. It's not just the number of people though. The sheer excess of those like ourselves in the western world are a massively significant factor. Too much food, clothing, fuel etc etc.

 

[TeaCider]

Its Interesting that population growth rarely seems to get mentioned as a cause of global warming, but it must be part of the reason too.

I remember writing in a geography lesson that the world population will be an enormous 4 billion by 1980.

42 years later its 8 billion!

I don't think most people in the UK realise how quickly the world population is increasing.

It'll because the growth is largely in African countries that have little media coverage in the UK.

Most countries in the world have a declining existing population and birth rate.

North America, South America, Australia, Europe, much of East and South East Asia all have a fertility rate below replacement level.
Even China.

Countries like the UK and France, where the total population is increasing, have largely only managed to maintain positive growth through immigration.

But in Africa, the population has exploded, nearly doubling in the last 20 years.

Climate change, and the fact that very few nations in the world are self sufficient in food production is leaving the world on tenuous ground.
Increasing the amount of agricultural land will also add to the climate change problems.

Just look at the impact the war in Ukraine has had on countries that relied on their grain to feed their population.

 

[atypical_boro]

Someone just mentioned this to me today and I paused for a think before saying...

'So what'
Then I got the 'over population'....'climate change' response.

I have no idea whether we are overpopulated or not - seems plenty of spare land around.

Climate change? It appears to be everyone else's problem to solve other than us as individuals.
Guess what happens in that situation? Vast majoritty do nothing other than vilify protesters who do want something done.

Looks like I'm still in the 'so what' camp

It’s not everyone else’s problem, but it is world leaders of powerful nations’, for the most part.

Plenty of spare land, yes, but still far too many cars and aeroplanes as a result of rising population.

 

[Carlos Fandango]

If there are too many people in some places and not enough people in others to do the jobs required then it's going to need a global immigration/emigration discussion. Will need that anyway as people are going to have to move to escape the huge climate catastrophe.

I knew the Asian population was high, but.......

 

[locomansimon]

As the 8 billionth child is born, who were 5th, 6th and 7th?

The world is still growing, but not as fast as when the six- and seven-billionth babies were born.

www.bbc.co.uk

Increased by over 6 billion in the last 100 years.

It's a funny situation we're in where birth rates are below replacement level in many countries, especially in the West, but the birth rates in Africa are so high that it still keeps hurtling upwards.

Countries like Japan and South Korea are heading towards a demographic crisis with their low birthrates and aging population, at a certain point there won't be enough working people to pay for those who have retired, it's probably only going to be solved by opening up to more immigration.

Inevitable consequence of people living longer than ever, and having fewer kids and at a later time in their lives.

Not sure what the solution is really, the world doesn't need more people, but societies do.
Probably something like increased automation to help provide.

Unsustainable!

 

[Facefuzz]

Do you mind explaining why it is quite clear there are too many of us on the planet.
I’m genuinely interested btw.

The best I’ve read questions the availability of resources to ‘feed’ the population but there are contra discussions saying a fair distribution (and change to resource requirements) are solutions.

I’m guessing there is bound to be a population number that makes us go bust tho.

A combination of the factors listed really. Global warming caused by to many people and greed, pollution caused by to many people and greed, food shortages caused by to many people and greed.
We could have 20 billion on the planet but not with life as we know it.

 

[1finny]

A combination of the factors listed really. Global warming caused by to many people and greed, pollution caused by to many people and greed, food shortages caused by to many people and greed.
We could have 20 billion on the planet but not with life as we know it.

That’s fair enough.
We either change our behaviour significantly, support all communities and lIve peacefully and happily side by side
Or, we crack on headlong to Armageddon

We appear to have made a strange choice

 

[Sheriff_John_Bunnell_ret]

Carbon credits. Everyone is given the same carbon allowance, which is tradeable. i.e you want to go on holiday - you pay me who can't afford to go on holiday for some of my carbon allowance.

Saving the planet and combatting equality at the same time.

 

[muniz]

As the 8 billionth child is born, who were 5th, 6th and 7th?

The world is still growing, but not as fast as when the six- and seven-billionth babies were born.

www.bbc.co.uk

Increased by over 6 billion in the last 100 years.

It's a funny situation we're in where birth rates are below replacement level in many countries, especially in the West, but the birth rates in Africa are so high that it still keeps hurtling upwards.

Countries like Japan and South Korea are heading towards a demographic crisis with their low birthrates and aging population, at a certain point there won't be enough working people to pay for those who have retired, it's probably only going to be solved by opening up to more immigration.

Inevitable consequence of people living longer than ever, and having fewer kids and at a later time in their lives.

Not sure what the solution is really, the world doesn't need more people, but societies do.
Probably something like increased automation to help provide.

the soloution is called COVID 23 coming soon to a town near you

 

[muniz]

bring back bojo to sort this mess out

 

[Redwurzel]

Meat eaters must use a lot more resources than vegetarian and vegans and the number of meat eaters in the world has been increasing as a % of the population as incomes rise in countries such as India from very low levels.

 

[Glover_elbow]

I was listening to Greta thunberg recently and she was basically saying the population argument was whataboutory to detract from the western world's inaction on climate change.

 

[newusername]

I’ve posted before that we need to limit the number of humans

The best way to do that is improve child health so that parents expect their children to live to adulthood and ensure that women are educated to a high standard and have an economic role in society.

Perhaps unsurprisingly "Keep 'em in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant" leads to massive population growth.

 

[Glover_elbow]

The best way to do that is improve child health so that parents expect their children to live to adulthood and ensure that women are educated to a high standard and have an economic role in society.

Perhaps unsurprisingly "Keep 'em in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant" leads to massive population growth.

and give women the freedom to have birthcontrol if they want it

 

[Glover_elbow]

Unsustainable!

New technologies, massively improving farming efficiencies, eating less meat, renewable energy, the answer is changing our consumption habits and utilising technological innovation, focussing on population numbers wont reverse climate change. I read by the end of the century 90% of people will live in cities, if that's true then the should be ample land on earth to reforest and for biodiversity to flourish. Similarly the western world is seen as the environmental pariah when its actually the only group which is coming up with environmental solutions such as nuclear, hydroelectric, wind power for the whole world to utilise including less developed countries instead of fossil fuels. Further to this if you think this is all nonsense and really want to go down the population theory then the biggest driver to population stability is also economic development. The time for focusing on long term population numbers has gone its too late, environmental action which many countries are reneging on has to be the number one priority.

 

[Facefuzz]

New technologies, massively improving farming efficiencies, eating less meat, renewable energy, the answer is changing our consumption habits and utilising technological innovation, focussing on population numbers wont reverse climate change. I read by the end of the century 90% of people will live in cities, if that's true then the should be ample land on earth to reforest and for biodiversity to flourish. Similarly the western world is seen as the environmental pariah when its actually the only group which is coming up with environmental solutions such as nuclear, hydroelectric, wind power for the whole world to utilise including less developed countries instead of fossil fuels. Further to this if you think this is all nonsense and really want to go down the population theory then the biggest driver to population stability is also economic development. The time for focusing on long term population numbers has gone its too late, environmental action which many countries are reneging on has to be the number one priority.

Strange how the ones reneging on environmental action are also the ones with the increasing numbers.
Playing devils advocate, why shouldn’t they have their industrial/economic revolution? We had ours.

I don’t think you’re miles out though but like I said. It’s not the land, there’s loads of that. It’s the resources. Only technology can do so much. Not everybody will take to quorn.