Possibly No Population Boom

Population has been booming. In 1900, world population was about 1.65 billion. Now, it is about 7.8 billion. That’s a boom; but the worry has been that the growth would continue far beyond that. Then, analyses suggested it would reach a maximum of about 9 billion to 11 billion. A new analysis estimates;

“The global population will peak at 9.7 billion around 2064, according to the new projection, and then drop off to 8.8 billion towards the end of the century.” – World Economic Forum

Odd as it may seem, this is NOT because of Covid-19. (Not everything is about the pandemic.) The moderation is based on the trends of more women working, better birth control, and generally smaller families. Analysts have been aware of the trends for years, but as we proceed into this century, there is more data and less speculation, particularly as there are fewer years left in the century (or until the 2064 date mentioned in the study.)

Good the planet? Could be, though even our current population uses resources than the planet can replenish every year. (Overshoot Day approaches.) Economies, however, are based on the young earning money and paying taxes that sustain society including the elderly. Yet another reason to expect a significant change in our economic system.

“These 23 Countries Can Expect Their Population To Halve By 2100, Study Finds” – World Economic Forum