Rama Krishna Sangem
World’s population will reach a peak of 1,030 crore by 2085 when this century ends. This is according to a report brought out by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs on July 11, Thursday. Currently, there are 830 crore people on this earth. So, another 200 crore will add in the next 75 years. After that, the UN wing estimates that the world population will start decreasing.
That decrease may continue for another century or so, depending on the economic, social and political needs of that time. The Economic Tim es on July 13, Saturday carried an editorial on the impact of this interesting phenomenon – declining world population. But, most of it is linked to mental state of future generations and their possible lifestyles. How will the number of people on this planet decide their happiness or unhappiness?
This is a question that bogged down the minds of experts from different fields over the years. First, about a century ago, we thought population growth is bad for the world. More number of people were considered a stress on everything – be it our natural resources or economic well-being or social relations. At one time, it was assumed that limited natural resources cannot bear the burden of population boom.
World is not uniform
But at the same time, some countries like Scandinavian ones have realized that less number of people is a negative point for their growth and progress. We see stark contradictions in countries approaches to migration and population growth. Some countries like the US and the UK want to avoid migration into theirs while others hate migrants for fear of being losing their original identity.
Ultra nationalist parties in some European countries like in France came up basically to check illegal migration of poor and unskilled people. At the same time, some countries are inviting people with permanent residence status etc. Of course, every country wants skilled and rich people, who can enrich their economics. But, the situation will change over the next few decades.
Science & Technology will change everything
The world will drastically change in the coming decades, thanks to science and technology – be it AI or robots or advances in medical and natural sciences. Right from what we eat to how we live, all aspects will be influenced by S&T in the coming years. Already, some advanced countries are experiencing the benefit of this trend. For example, the climate change dialogue has begun impacting our economies.
Politics are not separate from this. Wars, conflicts and ideological battles – including the religious ones- are all subject to economic and physical well-being of people. The coming decades will see rise of more egalitarian generations. All the past’s pest will be consigned to history books or academic research. Population up and downs will happen over the centuries till the size of humans will be compatible with the planet.
