Editorial
Population shift
Editorial  ·  2022-11-25  ·   Source: NO.48 DECEMBER 1, 2022
The world's population hit 8 billion on November 15, according to the UN.

Continuous population growth indicates human progress. This is best illustrated by the increase in life expectancy, which rose from 65 years in 1990 to 71 years in 2021, according to the World Health Organization.

However, our arrival at the 8-billion mark has drawn public attention to the impact of the growing population on our lives and our planet. One important factor is the carrying capacity of Earth. As our population increases, so too does our need for resources. Finding ways for a developing population to use Earth's resources sustainably is among our greatest current and future challenges. Therefore, the need to promote the innovation and adoption of technologies and lifestyle practices that lessen our personal and collective impacts is immediate and imperative.

Another concern that must be addressed as our population increases is food security. In July this year, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization announced that the number of people affected by hunger rose to 828 million in 2021, more than one in 10 of us. The fastest population growth is occurring within developing countries, meaning an increasing proportion of us is facing the risk of food insecurity and poverty unless the pace of development continues to accelerate. As our population increases, we must find ways to produce more food with consumption of fewer resources.

Aging is another challenge. Progress in science and technology as well as healthcare means we are also living longer and our population is already aging as a result. A proportionally shrinking labor force and an increased demand for aged care services will place increasing strain on our economies and societies.

However, rather than a growing population, the greatest danger we now face is zero-sum international relations and the growing mentality of enmity and bloc confrontation. For this reason, societies must continue to embrace the concept of a global community with a shared future, one in which people will be able to stand together against common challenges by emphasizing solutions that benefit everyone and favoring cooperation over competition.

We truly are "all in the same boat" and our survival depends on us thinking and acting as one.

 

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