Population of world 'could grow to 15bn by 2100'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/22/population-world-15bn-2100 ^

[chessplayer]

The United Nations will warn this week that the world's population could more than double to 15 billion by the end of this century, putting a catastrophic strain on the planet's resources unless urgent action is taken to curb growth rates, the Observer can reveal.

[chessplayer]

So much for the UN's prior prediction that the population would level off and reach zero growth by mid-century. And if the number does hit 15 bn, those 15 bn will breed like rabbits. Has the population of any land species, the size of housecats or larger, ever reached such numbers as we have now, much less 15 bn, without catastrophically destroying the environment it relies on? I kind of doubt we could reach 15 bn without something catastrophic happening, like a disease outbreak that would drop the population by billions, not just millions.

[ken21]

could.

[JmyBryan]

Absolute garbage. Shouldn’t even be printed. Low birth rates are a huge problem.

[C210N]

Maybe the UN can figure out a way to have globalCare, where they can regulate the disbursement of health care on a global level, have death panels to judge whether an individual has more potential global benefit versus the global funds required to bring them back to health, given their remaining average life-years.

[GeronL]

Just yesterday a post said the population could be halved

[Lockbar]

Really glad I won’t be here.

[JRandomFreeper]

There are approximately 16 billion chickens in the world. They are larger than catz. And taste better.

If you placed the entire world population in Texas (please don't), everyone would have plenty of room.

I think the carrying capacity of the planet is somewhere between 30 and 80 billions.

Which gives us more Einsteins, Mozarts, and Salks to solve our problems.

Celebrate life.

/johnny

[federal__reserve]

A nuclear war will kill good portion of the worlds population, not on the day the bombs are dropped, but due to the following nuclear winter.

A nuclear holocaust is more likely than ever with Iran on verge of joining the club, and shaky Pakistan sitting on 100 nukes.

[The Working Man]

Just yesterday a post said the population could be halved

---

I was going to say that also. Isn’t much of the world below replacement birthrate?

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Sanctuary ...

[longtermmemmory]

no Obamacare, no inhailers, no elder care surgery, limits in hospital stays, death panel...

[longtermmemmory]

no its Obamacare, no inhailers, no elder care surgery, limits in hospital stays, death panel...

[stormhill]

Really glad I won’t be here.

Your problem, I jog!
But seriously, this sounds to me like more Malthusian nonsense ala Late Great Planet Earth and the like. Besides, if catastrophic plagues reduce the population by billions, then the system is self leveling now, ain't it?

[crusader71]

“Absolute garbage. Shouldn’t even be printed. Low birth rates are a huge problem.”

You nailed it. The UN has been screaming about this nonsense for 50 years. Meanwhile most all of Europe dies on the vine from no children.

[W. W. SMITH]

There are those who estimate the planet can handle five trillion.

[Figment]

Population of world ‘could grow to 15bn by 2100’

And they will be dieing at the rate of 500 million per day from ground temps of 195 degrees because of global warming. Yawn, just more BS from dimwits

[Lazlo in PA]

I remember books from the 60's and 70's telling me that we would all be dead from overpopulation 10 years ago. This is more BS from the usual suspects.

[Utmost Certainty]

Last time I looked at this, the midrange extrapolation suggests the world pop. will likely top out at ~9bil by 2050.

[JRandomFreeper]

Humans are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. And some trace elements. The available CHON is the limiting factor for population growth if we stay on the planet.

If we leave the planet, there's lots of CHON out there in the solar system.

It's a party. Have a baby. ;)

/johnny

[stormhill]

Remember that routine by George Carlin about the absurdity of trying to save the planet?
If every inch of earth was covered by human beings, the planet could still shake us off like a used tissue. It doesn't care.