The eco guide to population growth
by Lucy Siegle from Environment | The Guardian on (#1GXEW)
Every hour 10,000 people are born. Fortunately a new crop of eco innovations will help tackle the pressures on our planet
The regularity with which I'm contacted by population worriers - people who think it's pointless discussing green energy, climate change and ethical pensions when the elephant in the room is actually the new human in the room - is impressive. They say that the planet needs fewer people. End of.
The numbers are indeed eye catching. Today there are 7 billion humans alive (twice the number who were alive in 1965) - and each hour we add 10,000 more. By 2050, UN demographers predict, there will be at least 9 billion of us putting a strain on life-sustaining resources.
Continue reading...