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Page added on July 14, 2014
World Population Could Quadruple By 2100
World population levels could soar to explosive heights if contraception doesn’t become readily available to women in developing countries.
Friday marks World Population Day, the United Nation’s awareness event that invites experts to assess population growth and its global effects.
The population currently sits at 7.2 billion, according to the U.N. It will likely hit 10.9 billion by the end of the century, but could very well climb to 27 billion if fertility rates remain constant, according to the Population Institute.
The impact of such swelling numbers could be devastating.
Currently, 1.2 billion people live on less than $1.25 per day and one out of every eight people in the world struggles with hunger.
The world is running out of land that’s suitable for food production and by 2025, an estimated 3.5 billion people are expected to be living in water-scarce regions.
While the percentage of women using contraception is increasing, the figures are still not where they need to be.
As part of its Millennial Development Goals, the U.N. had designated 2015 as the year for achieving universal access to reproductive health. But that goal won’t be met.
It’s for that reason that the U.N. is focusing this year’s World Population Day on young people — on fighting back against child marriage and pushing for improved access to sexual health.
“For millions of young people around the world, puberty … brings not only changes to their bodies, but also new vulnerabilities to human rights abuses, particularly in the areas of sexuality, marriage and childbearing,” Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA executive director, said in a statement. “Millions of girls are coerced into unwanted sex or marriage, increasing the risks of unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, as well as death or disability due to childbirth.”
Child marriage is now on the rise. An estimated 13.5 million girls have been married off before turning 18, according to a World Vision study released last year.
But girls and women are eager to gain access to birth control. In fact, 222 million women in the developing world want to avoid getting pregnant, but don’t have access to a modern method of contraception, according to the Population Institute.
It’s a lifesaving measure, experts say, the world can’t afford to overlook or deem too “controversial” to tackle.
“It’s not controversial in many, many other places in the world. And just because it’s controversial doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do the right thing for women,” family planning advocate Melinda Gates said in a New York Times interview last year. “If women are telling you that, ‘I don’t want to have seven children, I can only feed two or three, but I don’t have a way to plan for those children,’ we should do the right thing, regardless if it’s controversial.”
28 Comments on "World Population Could Quadruple By 2100"
Davy on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 7:37 am
I think they should talk about the obvious we are at limits of growth across the board and diminishing returns to efforts to solve any of the predicaments created by these across the board limits of growth. There is no way in hell the population can increase much without some kind of collapse especially in the fastest growing areas like the Egypt. Food stress is a built in danger now. We are a financial correction and or bad global harvest away from food insecurity, hunger and of famine. I do not believe the population graph we see today. It most likely from here on out these graphs are going to be jagged and asymmetric. We are basically at the beginning of a bottleneck period. How bad will depend on factors of response. The big question is can a society make voluntary population control policies work. Will a crisis even allow population control efforts to work? How long will it be before the anti-population control folks mainly economist, church leadership, and governments admit there is a limit to a safe population. There are those who talk about a slow decline. I see a significant decline with the combination of energy and financial troubles. We know that food production takes energy. We know the economics of food distribution and production. We also know how water stress and climate change are bringing on a slow degradation of food production. We are close to a population decline and it will be far from smooth.
rollin on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 8:01 am
The writer of this article is really out of touch with reality. Fertility is dropping, we do not have any more truly fertile land left for food growth, the ocean fisheries are failing. Monsoon patterns are delayed or shifting, desertification is taking over large regions, developing countries will push another billion into the high energy/food/water/material use group.
It would be truly amazing if the world reaches 10 billion (as predicted by most experts) under these conditions. Factor in global warming and peak resources and it looks like having 1 billion at the end of the century would be more like it.
Arthur on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 9:07 am
China is THE example of a massively successful government imposed birth control program. The West didn’t need such a program, due to emancipation, feminism, acceptance of homosexuality, careerism, hedonism and a few isms more. But is very difficult to see how hell holes like India, Egypt and Africa are going to cope with the impending disaster. Expect the Mediterranean to be very crowded, until Africa runs out of boats.
Davy on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 9:24 am
Art, add the Phillipeans with 99mil people and the fastest pop growth rate in Asia, good luck Mak with that lifeboat!
penury on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 9:48 am
As usual, long on dreams, short on facts. Reality sucks. Just ask all the immigrants to Europe and the ones coming into the U.S how doubling the population of their countries will be handled. The stupidity of these articles is only exceeded by the ignorance and hubris of the so called authors.
Kenz300 on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 9:59 am
Men need to take some responsibility for birth control………….. vascetomies need to become easier to get, more acceptable and more common.
Kenz300 on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 10:06 am
Birth Control Permanent Methods: Learn About Effectiveness
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/birth_control_permanent_methods/article_em.htm
J-Gav on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 10:11 am
Quadruple by 2100? Ha ha ha!
Now, I understand how somebody might say that – but what I don’t understand is how they could say it without pissing down their leg …
JuanP on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 10:19 am
As someone who’s had a Vasectomy and has chosen to live childfree because of the population problem, I want to repeat something the author mentioned because I believe it’s very important: more than 222 million women in the world lack access to modern contraception, and not just in the developing world. Very poor people in developed countries also have limited or no access to family planning, contraceptives, and abortions.
If we could provide these women with these medications and services, it would be enough to stop population growth, but I don’t believe this will come to pass. It could be so easy, if it wasn’t against our nature.
JuanP on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 10:33 am
Kenz, I agree that Vasectomies are a wasted resource and not common enough, it has to do with male insecurities, I think.
I don’t know where you live, but in Florida, USA getting a Vasectomy is a pain free 10 minute outpatient very minor surgery with no need for scalpels or inyections. It is faster and less uncomfortable than getting a checkup at the dentist. It does cost $500, if you have no insurance, but there are discounts, grants, and payment plans for the poor.
I had my Vasectomy with the most famous specialist in the world, the Urologist Doug Stein who has performed more than 30,000 Vasectomies all over the world. I highly recommend him. He works for free for a charity called NSVI, for No Scalpel Vasectomy International.
GregT on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 2:51 pm
My brother in law had a vasectomy. My sister became pregnant. Needless to say, they are no longer married, and went through a bitter divorce.
nemteck on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 2:58 pm
And then comes this idiotic article:
Earth Population 29 billion: Contrary to popular belief that may be a good thing
http://business.financialpost.com/2014/07/10/earth-population-29-billion-contrary-to-popular-belief-that-may-be-a-good-thing/
Northwest Resident on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 3:14 pm
Not a chance. The guy in the black hooded cloak and the tall reaper will see to that, shortly.
Any Steely Dan fans here?
Do Donald Fagin and Walter Becker know what’s headed our way? My guess is yes, you betcha. Here’s some evidence from a song off their album “The Last Mall”:
Attention all shoppers
It’s Cancellation Day
Yes the Big Adios
Is just a few hours away
It’s last call
To do your shopping
At the Last Mall
You’ll need the tools for survival
And the medicine for the blues
Sweet treats and surprises
For the little buckaroos
It’s last call
To do your shopping
At the Last Mall
We’ve got a sweetheart Sunset Special
On all of the standard stuff
‘Cause in the morning –that gospel morning
You’ll have to do for yourself when the going gets tough
Roll your cart back up the aisle
Kiss the checkout girls goodbye
Ride the ramp to the freeway
Beneath the blood orange sky
It’s last call
To do your shopping
At the Last Mall
noobtube on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 3:19 pm
Let’s look at the numbers, rather than the typical genocidal fantasies you get out of Americans/Europeans.
Asia – 203 people per square mile
Europe – 134 people per square mile
South America – 73 people per square mile
Africa – 65 people per square mile
North America – 32 people per square mile
Australia – 6.4 people per square mile
A city like Chicago has a population density of 15,000, while LA has a density of 14,000 and NYC sits at 27,000.
Now, to support an American you must have power grids, interstate highways, fast food restaurants, sports stadiums, cars with gas stations, shopping malls, lawnmowers, F-15 fighter jets, aircraft carriers, TOO BIG TO FAIL banks, and the world reserve currency.
To support the average African, you don’t need any of that garbage.
So, which baby can the world AFFORD to have… an African baby or an American one?
Well, we already have the answer.
The world doesn’t need any more expensive American/European babies, which is why birth rates have collapsed in the so-called “rich” (i.e. leeching) countries.
Population rates immediately decline as soon as anyone comes to America/Europe.
Their babies and lives are just not worth the expense.
JuanP on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 5:48 pm
Greg, nothing in life is 100% sure or certain except death.
Vasectomies are the most effective form of contraception available today, other than not having sex, but a few times they fail with predictable consequences.
Are you 100% certain he did get a Vasectomy? Did your sister witness it? Was she inside the room with him when he got cut? Many men lie to women about getting a Vasectomy. I wouldn’t take his word for it.
My wife was inside the room with me and the doc throughout the procedure, so she can be 100% certain I had a Vasectomy because the doctor showed and explained every step to us as he performed the surgery.
Since you wouldn’t have access to his medical file, you’d have to take his word for it.
Craig Ruchman on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 5:59 pm
One thing I know about most predictions regarding the future, they never come to pass.
JuanP on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 6:00 pm
Noob, you are asking the wrong question.
“So, which baby can the world AFFORD to have… an African baby or an American one?”
The correct question is …
Can the world’s ecosystems afford to have more humans living in and exploiting them than they already have?
The smart answer is no, and it doesn’t matter where these humans are born or how many resources and pollution they will cost.
GregT on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 7:29 pm
Juan,
My sister screwed around on him.
My point; only women can have children. Like I said before, one man and a thousand women can have hundreds of babies a year. One woman and a million men can only have one pregnancy every nine months. It is women that should be using birth control.
JuanP on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 8:10 pm
Greg, I had misunderstood what you wrote and gone my own way from there. Your point is valid, my wife could get pregnant by having an extramarital relation or getting raped, but it is much easier for us as a couple, me having a Vasectomy than her going through a Hysterectomy, where she would have to be fully sedated for what is a significant inpatient procedure with much higher risks.
As a monogamous couple having a Vasectomy was an easy choice of contraception and I highly recommend it.
GregT on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 9:47 pm
Juan,
I agree with your choice, and I commend you for being a stand-up guy.
Makati1 on Mon, 14th Jul 2014 10:49 pm
JuanP, noobtube was just pointing out that the US 320,000,000 people consume the equivalent resources of 2,400,000,000 people, or more than China and India combined. If the US was wiped clean, that would support an additional 2 billion on this planet using the SAME amount of resources. That is what those other 7 billion people are waking up to and the reason behind the new world wide goal of taking down the US.
Perk Earl on Tue, 15th Jul 2014 12:46 am
27 billion is outlandish, but I’ve always thought the population could reach 10-15 billion. Sure lots of them would be on the edge of starvation but that doesn’t stop humans from reproducing. Many couple’s even in the developed countries have three kids and in undeveloped countries they have five or more.
Humans don’t do the math and wonder if there will be enough resources they just zero in on having more kids. We sponsored a kid in Equador and their family went ahead 10 months later had another kid.
I saw a Mexican couple in the grocery store last evening and they had three with another one on the way and they were jubilant. The whole human experiment is out of control.
Arthur on Tue, 15th Jul 2014 3:57 am
“If the US was wiped clean, that would support an additional 2 billion on this planet using the SAME amount of resources. That is what those other 7 billion people are waking up to and the reason behind the new world wide goal of taking down the US.”
The US are not going to be ‘wiped clean’, although the noobtubes of this world get their pants wet from that idea… no, all this talk about ‘dedollarization’ is not because the US consumes so much… it is because these US necons are meddling too much in other countries, in the ME and now in the Ukraine, which gives the Chinese and Russians the (correct) idea that the US, with its NWO ideology and exceptionalism ideas, is in reality after them. And they start to organize their defense.
Davy on Tue, 15th Jul 2014 4:24 am
FRIG, another Mak Attack and this time a dossie. Makster first show your calculations Sir, instead of your usual unsupported Anti American and anti-western puk. How the hell can you compare what Asians are doing to what the US is doing and talk about new world goal of taking down the US???? You are a warp individual Mak. First let us consider the wealthy in Asia at $10,000 and above PPP. Mak there are 120MIL in this category. These folks are consuming an ever increasing slice of the pie. In fact at the expense of their countrymen. Income inequality between the well to do and the very poor is grotesque in Asia and it is among the worst in the Philippians. The coal use in Asia is more than the rest of the world combined at 63% of the world total or a 403% increase since 1980. Talk about killing the earth. Isn’t coal what is driving CC or is the coal used in Asia different Mak?
Here is the kicker that will convince many that Asia is in aggregate is killing the world.
4.3 billion
Asia is the most populous continent, with its 4.3 billion inhabitants accounting for 60% of the world population. The world’s two most populated countries alone, China and India, together constitute about 37% of the world’s population.
Asia is the fast growing region in the world with the largest population using a significant. Asia has rough population of 60% of the world population using 40% of the Earths bio capacity per:
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/images/uploads/Asia_Pacific_Report_2005.pdf.
Mak, and you want to compare the US to that like the US is the demon and you and your Asians are angles. Who says the Asian can be the earth’s baby factory? Who says this is OK for a region to not only overpopulate but overpopulate with an ever increasing bio capacity footprint. Mak, you have a screw loose. Go climb back in your hole Mak, and spare us your morning puk.
Makati1 on Tue, 15th Jul 2014 8:59 am
Population is one thing. Consumption of resources is a totally different thing. About like comparing what an elephant (US) consumes to what a mouse (3rd world) consumes. It is easy to get statistics that support my comment. Many reports that the US consumes 25+% of the world’s resources and it is actually about 33% or more if you add in imports, the 1,000+ military bases around the world using those countries resources, and the energy used by the huge bloated military that cannot win a war if they tried.
You don’t have 20+% obesity in Bangladesh or Rwanda like you have in the US, but, if you can counterfeit money to pay for your ‘consumption’ you can do anything, or so you think. The rest of the world is going to end that soon.
dsula on Tue, 15th Jul 2014 9:26 am
Makati, are you a professional moron or just a gifted amateur?
JuanP on Tue, 15th Jul 2014 9:39 am
Mak, Noob’s point wasn’t lost on me and I agree that consumption is the other side of population’s coin.
My point is that we are already too many people in this planet and we need to stop population growth everywhere.
I understand and agree that excessive consumption by rich people like me is a big problem, but I disagree with you and Noob in the solution. I don’t believe getting rid of all the rich people is the solution. That would just allow poorer people to consume more with the same end result, the destruction of the planet. What good would it do to get rid of my 300+ million neighbors in the USA, if the global population keeps growing by 80 million every year.
I am not against wealth redistribution, in principle, and lead by example in that matter, I have redistributed my own wealth and live a life of voluntary simplicity and poverty.
My point is there are ambitious, selfish people in every country of the world, and the solution is having less of us because we will not change.
Davy on Tue, 15th Jul 2014 11:37 am
Juan, I like you believe in balance on this topic. Both consumption and population growth matter. Mak on the other hand cannot think like that because of his rabid anti American rehtoric. He has to have a position that is American negative. The truth does not matter to the Mak.