The United Nations just announced that the world’s population is about to hit the 8 billion mark.
This milestone is coming 11 years after the world hit 7 billion, and according to estimates, it will take another 15 years before the world gets to 9 billion. The UN also disclosed that the 10 billion mark is estimated to be reached in 2058.
This story on Business Insider Africa was published at the exact moment the UN estimated that the 8 billionth person would be born, November 15th, 2022, at exactly 9:00 A.M(UTC+01:00) West Africa Time.
While the milestone is something to marvel at the UN has already warned about the dangers of overpopulation. The international body cited Sub-Saharan Africa as an area of focus, and a region that should be weary of how rapidly its population is increasing.
The UN warns that the conundrum here is the fact that countries with the highest fertility levels tend to be those with the lowest income per capita, most of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa.
An extract from the UN publication reads; “even though population growth magnifies the environmental impact of economic development, rising per capita incomes are the main driver of unsustainable production and consumption patterns.
The countries with the highest per capita consumption of material resources and emissions of greenhouse gas emissions tend to be those where income per capita is higher, not those where the population is growing rapidly.”
The report also noted the dangers of overpopulation, and the ripple effects it can create globally not just on people, but also on the environment.
“Rapid population growth poses various challenges in efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, when it comes to schooling, public health, housing, water and sanitation, and the environment. However, even though population growth impacts the environment, rising per capita incomes are the main driver of unsustainable paproduction and consumption patterns
This means that wealthier countries should take the lead in moving rapidly to achieve net-zero emissions and in implementing strategies to decouple human economic activity from environmental degradation. They can also help support low-income and lower-middle-income countries in making a transition toward sustainable economic growth.”
According to the UN, the rate of population increase is expected to slow down. Below is a chart representation of the UN's forecast.
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