The United Nations predicted Monday that the world’s population will hit eight billion on November 15, and that India will overtake China as the world’s most populous country by 2023.
“It is a reminder of our shared obligation to care for our world and an opportunity to reflect on where we still fall short of our pledges to one another,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, although he did not provide specifics.
According to the speaker, “This is a time to celebrate and commemorate our common humanity while marvelling at the improvements in health that have extended lifespans, lowered maternal and child death rates, and improved the quality of life for all people.”
Population growth has slowed to its lowest rate since 1950, according to the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Around 8.5 billion people will live on the planet by 2030, and 9.7 billion will do so by 2050, with a peak population of around 10.4 billion expected in the 2080s before remaining stable until 2100.
According to the report, while some developing countries have seen a decrease in birth rates, more than half of the increase in the world’s population over the next few decades will be centred in just eight nations.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Tanzania are all listed as being part of the BRICS nations.