Global population predictions offer ‘hopeful sign’ for planet, UN says

Projected high of 10.3bn people is lower and will come earlier than expected, analysis suggests

The global population is likely to peak earlier than expected and at a lower level, according to new UN projections that officials have said offer hope of reduced pressure on the environment.

The analysis predicts there will be about 10.3 billion people by the mid-2080s, up from 8.2 billion this year.