Too many people?

It took about 18 centuries for the world’s population to reach 1 billion in 1804. Today, the world’s population has just passed 8 billion. The last seven billion has taken just 218 years. The UN predicts that by 2050 the world’s population will be 9.7 billion.

Australia’s population is 25.9 million. Our fertility rate is about 1.7 children per woman. The fertility rate or replacement rate to maintain our current population is 2.1 children per woman. The annual growth rate of Australia’s population is approximately 0.9%, due largely to immigration.

The world’s and Australia’s demographic is changing significantly. There will never be more children in the world than there is today. Our population is getting older and there are fewer people able to work to support more people unable to work. More and more people reside in urban settings and fewer in rural areas.

Some consequences of these changes are obvious. Caring for the elderly is becoming increasingly significant. Housing and transport systems will need modification. Can a shrinking workforce support our economy? Will we be able to produce enough food to feed everyone properly – indeed, on a global scale, do we now? Will there be enough arable land to grow crops and run stock? Will we need to change our diet? Should we stop built up development in farmland locations?

And what of our natural environment? Can we keep using and abusing it and expect it to remain healthy? What role is climate change having?

We know the challenges. Do we have the solutions?

Some further reading:

Drouin & Warragul Arterial Road Network Planning LINK

Baw Baw Shire Population Forecast LINK