8 Billion People, is it good or bad?

On November 15th, 2022, we officially reached a world population of 8 billion. But is that a good thing? For years we have been worried about what overpopulation can do to our planet and resources. With the population growing by the second, should we be scared for the future? 

With the growing population, UN member Antonio Guterres stated, “It is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reflect on where we still fall short of our commitments to one another." The UN has estimated that "the global population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen under 1 percent in 2020. The latest projections by the United Nations suggest that the world’s population could grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050. It is projected to reach a peak of around 10.4 billion people during the 2080s and to remain at that level until 2100."

Cons:

  • Food. How are we supposed to feed all of these new people? The world isn't growing, we only have so much land to farm or use for manufacturing. 
  • Diseases. Scientists have proven that more than half of the infectious diseases that humans contract can become deadlier because of climate change. More people, more pollution, more climate change. More people also means that diseases can be spread easier. 
  •  Temperatures. Rising temperatures due to climate change can also affect the population in a negative way. It can cause droughts, which cause food and water shortages. It can also cause long-term damage to individuals. 
  • Resources. The more people, the more resources that we need to use. 

Pros:

  • It can cause migration, allowing the population to spread out more evenly. 
  • Technology will get better to allow for an easier life. 

There weren't very many pros I could find for the 8 billion people. 

 

What do you think?

Is the increase good or bad?

Do you want more people?

 

 

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Replies

  • Great topic choice and super job Emily It was a bit late.

  • The rising population kinda worries me in way. With the population increasing, the demand of food is increasing too. Farmers are working hard to produce more crops with the land they have. Since the population is growing, cities are expanding too. This is leaving farmers with even less land to produce more crops and meat for the rising population.

  • I think the increase of population is getting out of control because of many jobs and buisnesess I think that there will be people running out of work and the earth is gonna get crowded and be super compacted.

  • I think that reaching 8 billion people can be seen as both good and bad. It can be seen as good because it's a cool milestone to reach 8 billion people. However, it can be seen as a bad thing because it can lead to several issues in the future.

  • In my opinion, the milestone could be seen as both a good and bad thing. I think that from a standpoint of human accomplishment, it is an incredible landmark for the human population to surpass eight billion people. But, from a more logistical standpoint, this continuous increase of population can come with many problems that will need to be solved in the very near future.

  • All of those problems listed could be solved with a solution but it's very frowned upon solution.  Resources could be solved by increasing our land by force evolving resources on other planets like Mars or the Moon. We don't know how fertile those are except we know that Mars has iron--that's why it's red. Temperatures could be solved many ways. Again, we could use the resources that we have to convirge on a different planet or use those resources to find an easier cost effecient solution to climate change. Food- we've all thought about it at least once.  Cannibalism 😊 Seriously that was a joke.  But as for food, we could stop wasting resources on things that take long production like cows and pigs, and focus more on crickets which are high in protein and have a shorter life cycle, and take less space, and produce less gas. Overall, an increase in population results in more brains to conjure solutions to these problems.

  • It can be both depending on how you look at it. I think that eventually, we won't be able to produce enough products, materials, or food because there would be too many people. I also believe that growing the population can be good. I really don't care if the population increases or decreases. I think that if it decreases it should be naturally and not on purpose.

  • I think it could be good but also bad. A lot of people could cause future food and material shortage. The population isnt going to stop growing throughout the years. The world will just get bigger and bigger and no one can stop it.

  • I think that the population incressing can be good and bad. But I think there are more cons then pros. Even though it could be bad to keep increasing population, but what are you supposed to do? You cant just tell people not to have kids because that wouldnt be right.

  • I think that having so many people is bad and good. I think that the increase is bad because we are not ready for it and many poeple are gonna run out of food. I also think that people are gonna get laid off their jobs because of the older people can't do as much as the younger people.

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