This Halloween the World Welcomes its 7 Billionth Person
Oct 28th, 2011 | 12 responses
If Halloween by itself wasn’t frightening enough, this Oct. 31 has been set by U.N. demographers as the official day when the 7 billionth person will be born, as TIME says, “on a planet already strapped for resources.”
No one knows where this 7 billionth person will “officially” be born, albeit TIME says he or she may be born in India, “which will be the world’s most populous nation by 2030.”
Halloween might be the appropriate day for this “sobering” event to happen, “a reminder of our planet’s predicament,” where, according to TIME, “there’s a distinct whiff of panic and fear” around this event, especially since our population is increasing by 10,000 an hour and the UN median forecast is that we will have 9.3 billion people by 2050.
In an interview with TIME, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, answering a question on how the world can support — environmentally and economically — a population of 7 billion, 8 billion, 9 billion, notes that he suspects that the 7 billionth citizen will be born “into a world of contradiction.”
After reading TIME’s excellent yet foreboding spread of articles on this topic, I would hasten to add that the 7 billionth, the 8 billionth and especially the 9 billionth child will be born into a world of frightening uncertainty.
Perhaps the only thing we can say with certainty is that the 9 billionth child — and I am not trying to be sardonic here — will be a boy or a girl, unless the world community in earnest addresses “Climate change, food-security issues, energy shortages, water scarcities, disease, health issues and gender empowerment,” in an integrated way, as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urges.
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12 Responses to “This Halloween the World Welcomes its 7 Billionth Person”
Hello Dorian, sorry about the Rangers…
Well there are many countries with very low, even negative birth rates and these are generally within the most developed nations. So I think as the suffering grows, it will grow within poorer nations much more rapidly.
We might need to transfer, “Most Favored Nation”, status to India from China now that China is on it’s feet and headed in a more prosperous direction. I personally would like to see a lot more investment in Africa. IMO Africa has been neglected as a potential manufacturing investment source. Also resources in Africa are largely untapped.
The unfortunate thing is that many of those 7 billion are going to starve or be killed by pandemics or war. The UN predicts a world population of 10 billion by 2050 – pure fantasy.
Ron, a little optimism would look good on you fella.
Allen, in a rare moment, we agree regarding Africa. However, Africa is also a lot less stable, so it might be better to stabilize Africa first before really investing there the way we ought.
However, I sadly must agree with Ron that 10 billion people is unlikely, due to war, famine, and scarcities. Not to say that I favor a population of 10 billion, as I think we are grossly overpopulated as it is; however, I think the likelihood is that the areas with the fast-growing populations are going to start seeing declines soon enough. For example, China is likely to see a major decrease in population as the effects of the One Child Policy are felt. That being said, neither side is wonderful, either overpopulation, or major reductions in population through disease, war, famine, and the like.
Sounds like a great Halloween costume.
“what are you for Halloween little one???”
“the 7th billion person”
but that might be a bit cynical
Thanks for the comments.
1. Allen, don’t feel sorry for me. I was not rooting for the Rangers — something about their past… Agree on Africa
2. “The UN predicts a world population of 10 billion by 2050 – pure fantasy.” and “10 billion people is unlikely, due to war, famine, and scarcities.”
The UN predicts a population increase of about 3 billion in the next 40 years—that is about 40 percent.
Who would have believed them if in 1950 when we had 2.6 billion people, the UN (or anyone) had said that by 2011 we would have 7 billion people,(almost tripled our population) or an almost 200 percent increase, and yes we have had wars, famine, scarcities and some “minor” pandemics.
Edited:
Actually, the UN predicts 9.3 billion by 2050, that’s “only” a 35 percent increase –my bad (math)
PBJ-
You don’t stabilize by withholding economic support. In fact, to withhold economic support is a method of destabilization.
Dorian-
Great. At least the Cardinals succeeded in taking away a little joy from the former president and in that I am happy. Small victory for all that damage he has caused.
How did you guess, Allen?
There once again is no need, and no excuse to engage in “population explosion” or related environmentalist nonsensical excess. Learned people have known for decades that the big “thing” here is fertility decline nearly everywhere on this planet. Had so many of you kept up to date, you would be aware of yet another author publishing more material about what to far too many would be for them a truly amazing discovery.
He even refers to “7 billion,” which should make it easier to find (in conjunction with “book” and “fertility” and “women,” too, if that helps). Same old story for decades, reduced fertility and associated progress for women.
Happy Hallowe’en.
Also: I felt quite happy for the winner and quite sad for the loser last night, fully free of BDS, incidentally. (No doubt you sufferers don’t want him seen with the Rangers on their return nor in subsequent years. You dislike the fellow.)
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