RAPID WORLD POPULATION GROWTH WORRIES UN
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has released population projections for the year 2100.
They say the world’s population is likely to grow to 10.1 billion by the end of this century. Much of this increase is likely to come from high-fertility countries, which comprise 39 countries in Africa, nine in Asia, six in Oceania and four in Latin America.
When we bear in mind the fact that it took us the whole of human history until 1900 to reach 1.6 billion people, and we are now likely to reach 10.1 billion by the end of the century, little wonder the UN describes current growth rates as too high.
The director of the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Hania Zlotnik, says a 10 billion population has “serious implications” for the ability to provide food, water, energy, education and employment for millions of people in the poorest nations. Absolutely right, to say nothing of the consequences of poverty and conflict over access to scarce resources – war, terrorism and millions of refugees.
KELVIN THOMSON MP
Member for Wills
Thursday 5th May, 2011
A predicament indeed. Would you agree that more aid funding for third world countries is needed? This could possibly help them to develop more of their own food sources. It would also help these high-fertility countries to educate their citizens in regard to sustainable family sizes and so on.
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