World population reaches 8 billion

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As of Tuesday, the world population reached 8 billion people, signifying a major milestone in world history. The United Nations projects that birth rates will start to slow following the milestone. 

In just 12 years, 1 billion people have been added to the global population, according to the UN. 

The UN statement read, “This unprecedented growth is due to the gradual increase in human lifespan owing to improvements in public health, nutrition, personal hygiene and medicine. It is also the result of high and persistent levels of fertility in some countries”

Middle-income countries, especially in Asia, are mostly responsible for the growth with the population increasing by 700 million people in the last decade. India is set to become the world’s most populous nation, taking the spot from China.

Demographers note that even though the global population has reached a new milestone, the growth rate has steadily fallen to less than 1% per year, keeping the world from reaching 9 billion people until 2037. According to the UN, the global population will peak in the 2080s at 10.4 billion people. Population growth is expected to remain at that level until 2100. 

This growth is going to be seen in sub-Saharan Africa according to the UN, creating a shift from India and China. 

As the world grows and populations increase, some environmental impact is expected, with resources being spread thinner to accommodate more people. Resources such as water, food, and space, will be met with more pressure and there will be less to go around. 

In the UN statement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said  reaching the population milestone, “is an occasion to celebrate diversity and advancements while considering humanity’s shared responsibility for the planet.”