You can now watch the tape of “The World at 7 Billion: Sustaining Our Future,” the panel discussion held Oct. 17 and featuring the presentation by Professor Joel E. Cohen on the “good and bad news” behind the growing world population. Cohen is professor of populations at Columbia University and holds a professorship at Rockefeller University.
Cohen reiterated his message on the oped page of the New York Times Monday morning (and you can read it online). The “7 Billion” panel landed some other attention in the media: Reporter Colin Sullivan wrote about the panel for the ClimateWire website; and Earth Institute Director Jeffrey Sachs wrote a related piece last week that ran on the CNN website.
The Economist, whose New York-based U.S. business editor, Matthew Bishop, moderated the forum last week, posted a piece Oct. 22 that addresses the question: “With high food prices, environmental degradation and faltering green policies, people are again worrying that the world is overcrowded. Some want restrictions to cut population growth and forestall ecological catastrophe. Are they right?”
The United Nations has declared that the 7 billionth person is going to arrive in about a week (estimates vary, but we’re sure to get there soon, if we haven’t already). On Halloween. Which may be appropriate, because the numbers, and the possible implications, are indeed, spooky.
For more on the panel, go to the conference web page.
I often hear claims that population will level out around 2050, why is this? Is it due to the increased death rate?
By and large developing nations have experienced declines in fertility rates, and rate of population growth — this includes newly developing nations such as India and China. This is related to increased education (particularly for women), access to employment and particularly access to family planning and contraception. Of course there are other factors that may influence population growth in the future. There are many sources of information on the subject. For one, a population newsletter from the UN, go here: http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/popnews/Newsltr_87.pdf.
To Jim Drake: Not clear to me how any of the above post ignores the science behind climate change. “Heretics”? DF
Go to.my Facebook Page!! You are an intelligent guy.. I cannot believe you chose to ignore the science that clearly presents evidence that global waring is an issue that must be addressed. being educated means getting the facts and drawing conclusions based on facts not heretics