Why the world population won’t exceed 11 billion | Hans Rosling | TGS.ORG

Recent questions

• How did child mortality rates impact population growth historically?

  Child mortality rates historically impacted population growth significantly. In the past, parents had an average of six children, but many died before reaching adulthood, which hindered population growth. However, after the Industrial Revolution and with improved healthcare, child mortality rates decreased. This led to two parents having four surviving children, resulting in exponential population growth over time.

• What is the trend in global population growth since 1960?

  Since 1960, global population growth has been linear, adding 1 billion people every 14 years. This is contrary to claims of exponential growth. The current world population pyramid shows a stable number of children, with no significant increase expected in the future. This trend indicates a more controlled and steady growth rate compared to previous periods.

• Why are suggestions to limit population growth below 10 billion considered impractical?

  Suggestions to limit population growth below 10 billion are considered impractical due to natural demographic shifts. Despite efforts to control population growth, demographic trends show a shift in child populations from Asia to Africa. Additionally, poverty plays a significant role in influencing birth rates, making it challenging to implement measures to limit population growth below a certain threshold.

• What is the speaker's stance on controlling population growth?

  The speaker opposes coercive measures to control population growth and advocates for respecting individuals' choices. Instead of imposing restrictions, the speaker emphasizes the importance of providing access to contraceptives globally. By promoting individual autonomy and access to family planning resources, the speaker believes that population growth can be managed effectively without resorting to forceful measures.

• How has improved healthcare impacted global population growth?

  Improved healthcare has had a profound impact on global population growth. Over 5,000 years, the population grew from 10 million to 1 billion due to reduced child mortality rates after the Industrial Revolution. With better healthcare, two parents were able to have four surviving children, leading to exponential population growth. This highlights the crucial role of healthcare in shaping demographic trends and population dynamics on a global scale.