According to UN estimates, the world population is eight billion people and this number is expected to increase. This population growth raises fears of pressure on natural resources and infrastructure, but Le Point J wonders if there are “limited spaces” on Earth.
“As for the reception of people, we don’t know the capacity of the planet. What is the exact number of people? It depends on their lifestyle”, replies Gilles Bison, consultant to the French administration. National Institute for Population Studies and editor of the Atlas of Human Population.
>> Our Big Format: Eight billion on earth
Human population growth is a finite phenomenon.
Driven by population growth and the Industrial Revolution, which began in the 19th century, and advances in hygiene and medicine. So it should peak before stopping. “Two centuries ago we were one billion, today we are eight billion, so the population has increased eightfold, and it should continue to increase until it reaches almost 10 billion in 2050. Then”, the demographer underlines.
What factors hinder population growth? Where will the expected rise through 2050 be concentrated?
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Jessica Viall and the Point J team
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