7 billion. What does it mean.
Feb. 14th, 2011 12:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nairiporter[Error: unknown template video]
This video by NG reminds us that at some point later this year the population of Earth will reach 7 billion of our fellow humans. The implications of this demographic milestone are profound. Some of these implications are already quite visible, including in the video above - demographics affects economic growth and the demand for raw materials, food and commodities; it changes political relations; it dictates development or lack of it. Demographics also plays an increasingly important role in the work of my fellows at humanitarian aid and crisis response.
The video correctly emphasises on the need for balance which is becoming even more difficult to achieve as human numbers grow and resources dwindle. To satisfy even more people’s demands for food, water, healthcare and education in many areas becomes impossible without external support - especially when, as in most cases, rapid population growth takes place in the poorest or most vulnerable countries.
The persistent levels of poverty, conflicts and exposure to disaster hazards are all linked to demographics. Among the communities which will contribute the most to the 7 billion figure, many are extremely vulnerable to these risks - for instance Liberia, Afghanistan, Western Sahara and Niger, which are the countries with the highest fertility rates, and which are also among the poorest and most disaster prone in the world. Meanwhile the upcoming peak in the Earth's population coincides with a peak in both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and other disasters in the last few years. If you look at the two maps linked above, you will notice a clear overlap between the areas with highest population growth and the areas that are at the highest risk of disasters.
All this makes demographics the main humanitarian problem, complicated further by rising wealth inequality. In the past decade, the middle classes have trebled their numbers - from 200 million to over 600 million people, and most of the increase has happened in the developing world. This fuels consumption and pushes up the price of commodities and food. In the same time, the numbers of the "bottom billion" remain unchanged, and approximately half of the world's population still lives on less than 1% of its wealth. If the current trends of population growth and economic development continue, this percentage will only grow, inflaming more vulnerability, emigration waves and conflicts.
The current statistics confirm the causality between growing populations and growing humanitarian challenges. According to OCHA, even today over a billion people worldwide suffer from hunger and even more lack access to safe clean water. Population growth can drive up these risks, especially in countries that are vulnerable to famine caused by droughts, floods and conflict. In other places risks are high as well, as demographic growth also speeds up urbanisation, which often goes hand in hand with poverty, life in slums, limited access to clean water and healthcare, and even higher disaster exposure.
So, 7 billion means that the number of people at risk of disasters is set to increase, and so is the number of people in need of humanitarian aid. It also means that in the disaster relief and aid jobs the humanitarian workers would have to help even more people, in more places, but very likely - without more financial resources. This requires changes in how we provide aid, and in how we focus it. The 7 billion number reminds us both how important this task is, and how pressing.
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talk_politics
This video by NG reminds us that at some point later this year the population of Earth will reach 7 billion of our fellow humans. The implications of this demographic milestone are profound. Some of these implications are already quite visible, including in the video above - demographics affects economic growth and the demand for raw materials, food and commodities; it changes political relations; it dictates development or lack of it. Demographics also plays an increasingly important role in the work of my fellows at humanitarian aid and crisis response.
The video correctly emphasises on the need for balance which is becoming even more difficult to achieve as human numbers grow and resources dwindle. To satisfy even more people’s demands for food, water, healthcare and education in many areas becomes impossible without external support - especially when, as in most cases, rapid population growth takes place in the poorest or most vulnerable countries.
The persistent levels of poverty, conflicts and exposure to disaster hazards are all linked to demographics. Among the communities which will contribute the most to the 7 billion figure, many are extremely vulnerable to these risks - for instance Liberia, Afghanistan, Western Sahara and Niger, which are the countries with the highest fertility rates, and which are also among the poorest and most disaster prone in the world. Meanwhile the upcoming peak in the Earth's population coincides with a peak in both the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and other disasters in the last few years. If you look at the two maps linked above, you will notice a clear overlap between the areas with highest population growth and the areas that are at the highest risk of disasters.
All this makes demographics the main humanitarian problem, complicated further by rising wealth inequality. In the past decade, the middle classes have trebled their numbers - from 200 million to over 600 million people, and most of the increase has happened in the developing world. This fuels consumption and pushes up the price of commodities and food. In the same time, the numbers of the "bottom billion" remain unchanged, and approximately half of the world's population still lives on less than 1% of its wealth. If the current trends of population growth and economic development continue, this percentage will only grow, inflaming more vulnerability, emigration waves and conflicts.
The current statistics confirm the causality between growing populations and growing humanitarian challenges. According to OCHA, even today over a billion people worldwide suffer from hunger and even more lack access to safe clean water. Population growth can drive up these risks, especially in countries that are vulnerable to famine caused by droughts, floods and conflict. In other places risks are high as well, as demographic growth also speeds up urbanisation, which often goes hand in hand with poverty, life in slums, limited access to clean water and healthcare, and even higher disaster exposure.
So, 7 billion means that the number of people at risk of disasters is set to increase, and so is the number of people in need of humanitarian aid. It also means that in the disaster relief and aid jobs the humanitarian workers would have to help even more people, in more places, but very likely - without more financial resources. This requires changes in how we provide aid, and in how we focus it. The 7 billion number reminds us both how important this task is, and how pressing.
Also posted to
talk_politics
