GR: Our current population of 7.4+ billion is expected to reach 10 billion by 2053. Economists generally do not recognize what this means. On the Dianne Ream show this morning, they were discussing the negative economic consequences of aging populations and slowing births. None of them mentioned the benefits of slowing population growth. They did not discuss societal changes needed to encourage and live with even slower birth rates. It’s like they live in a cake bell aware only of a future that their teachers painted on the walls.
Joe Bish, Population Media Center: “Population Reference Bureau (PRB) has just released their 2016 World Population Data Sheet. In what is news to me, they have also created a dedicated website to help users get access to the data in various forms (maps, data visualizations, graphs, etc.).
“Navigate to http://www.worldpopdata.org/ to explore.
“PRB sees global population exceeding the UN’s medium variant projection for 2050 — 9.9 billion vs. 9.7 billion. There are various interesting tid-bits in the press release below, but combined, they all paint the picture of continuing rapid human population growth on Earth. I do strongly encourage you to go to the dedicated website and bookmark the site for future reference.
“2016 World Population Data SheetSee: http://www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2016/2016-world-population-data-sheet.aspx
World Population Data (August 2016): “The world population will reach 9.9 billion in 2050, up 33 percent from an estimated 7.4 billion now, according to projections included in the 2016 World Population Data Sheet from the Population Reference Bureau (PRB).
“The world population would hit the 10 billion mark in 2053 if the assumptions underlying PRB’s 2050 projections are applied to subsequent years.
“Despite declines in fertility rates around the world, we expect population gains to remain strong enough to take us toward a global population of 10 billion,” said Jeffrey Jordan, president and CEO of PRB. “Significant regional differences remain, though. For example very low birth rates in Europe will mean population declines there while Africa’s population is expected to double.” —Population Reference Bureau Issues 2016 World Population Data Sheet
