Scientists think that the human brain cannot recognise quantities over ten¹, so a human population of 8 billion is unimaginable to us in the same way as trying to imagine the 37 trillion cells in the human body or the 80 to 127 trillion words we speak collectively per day. 

However, our population is changing in more than just size. The elderly also now outnumber the young, as there are now more living over 65-year-olds than under 5-year-olds. In particular, developed countries are seeing lower birth rates and a growing number of pensioners. 

The idea of overpopulation, or the idea that there are too many of us, has been around for a long time. Many believe that a larger population threatens limited resources and living standards, as well as the health of our environment. Even ancient Greek philosopher Plato had a negative attitude to population growth. 

Nowadays, alarm about overpopulation lives on, but in a different form. A growing number of women are joining the anti-natalistThe view that procreation is ethically wrong and that humans should stop having children. movement in protest against the climate crisis. EcologistsScientists who study how a plant or animal interacts with the environment. and naturalists such as Jane Goodall and David Attenborough still see overpopulation as a major culprit in causing ecological damage.

However, not everyone sees overpopulation as a problem. Jeff Bezos spoke excitedly in 2018 about the day the human population will reach one trillion, scattered across the solar system. Many ecologists and economists think that the problem is not the number of us, but the quantity of resources we consume. 

Besides, we cannot be worried about both demographicThe qualities (e.g. age, sex, income) of a specific group of people or population. changes and population growth. Scientists see a fall in the population as unavoidable now that the number of older people is higher than the number of children. 

Today, some even think that it is time for people to have more children, not less.

Yes: The number of people in the world is still rising - for now - but the demographic shifts are alarming. Without more babies, we will soon run out of young people to look after us when we are old. 

No: Population growth is threatening our quality of life on a planet with limited resources. A shrinking population would improve our relationship with the environment and our future.

Or... Changing the population should not be our key focus. The bigger threat is overconsumption. We should focus on supporting the transition to a new economic norm based on sustainable growth.