Global Agenda Council on Population Growth 2011

Recent UN projections suggest that world population, currently 6.8 billion, will reach 9.1 billion by 2050; alternative UN scenarios predict a range from 8.0 to 10.5 billion. Since 1950, the population has increased in virtually every country, but between now and 2050, the population is projected to decrease in nearly one-fifth of the world’s countries.

What are the consequences of continued population growth for our planet? What policies are governments adopting to address changing populations? Do policy-makers understand the challenges that population shifts bring? Has this problem been ignored for too long? Should it be part of the Millennium Development Goals? How can stakeholders work together to address it?