July 12, 2021

Managing global population for a sustainable planet

topic:	Sustainable Development
editor:	Bob Koigi

On 11 July, 1987, when the world’s total population hit 5 billion in what famously came to be known as the Day of Five Billion, world leaders under the auspices of the United Nations decided to celebrate this milestone following the interest it generated. 

In 1989, what was then the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), established the first World Population Day, which was officially marked in 1990 in over 90 countries. 

34 years later, the world population has grown to over 7.7 billion,  and with it has created new dynamics that have shaped humanity and its relation to nature as we know it. The ballooning population continues to put a strain on the planet’s resources, redefining how the world is evolving. 

From migration and urbanisation to reproductive health and development, these megatrends are at the core of human relations in the 21st century.

As we mark World Population Day this month, the burgeoning population, the contributing factors and the impact to the planet should be food for thought. 

The UN estimates that the global population  will hit 8 billion by 2023, grow to 9 billion by 2037 before reaching 10 billion by 2057.

That dramatic growth will have a huge impact on efforts to guarantee universal access to education, food, water, housing, healthcare, sanitation and energy. 

These are poignant issues that policy makers must pause and reflect on as they look at innovative ways of managing the current world and guaranteeing a sustainable future before it collapses under the weight of overpopulation. 

Image: Artur Kraft. 

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