The world population will climb to 8 billion this fall, according to new estimates released Monday by the United Nations.
November 15 is the actual target date the milestone is expected to be reached. Additionally, China is predicted to lose its position as the world’s most populous nation with India moving into the lead.
Releasing the new information in conjunction with World Population Day, the U.N. also announced that population growth across the world was less than 1% in 2020, the first time in 70 years that growth has been so slight.
Further predictions forecast that the total population will number 8.5 billion by 2030 and, projecting out even further, will be well past 10 billion by the 2080s. So, what does that mean for us?
A strain on resources and a push to consume less is what it means, many say. "It is only logical that an increase in the world’s population will cause additional strains on resources," Population Media reported. "More people means an increased demand for food, water, housing, energy, healthcare, transportation, and more. And all that consumption contributes to ecological degradation, increased conflicts, and a higher risk of large-scale disasters like pandemics."
Eight countries are expected to make up more than half of the predicted growth: Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.
According to the report, the current world population sits at 7.942 billion.
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