Lessons from #FutureofNature Population

Monday night was the first event in the 2014 Future of Nature Series hosted by The Nature Conservancy. The topic was population and how to deal with the projected growth to 10 Billion people by 2100. Included in the panel were academics, economists, activists, and aid workers who shared their experiences and predictions.

SHOCKING STATISTICS:

• 1 million people are added to the global population every 4.5 days
• For every $1 spent on family planning, $6 is saved
• The population of Pakistan is approximately 400 million. The country is the size of Texas, which is home to just 26 million.
• The "ideal" population for the planet - for everyone to have a high quality of life without putting strain on natural resources, and without incorporating future developments in technology - is 2 billion.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Overpopulation is a threat to global security
• Family planning is now legal and supported by many governments and religions around the globe
• Managing population growth while encouraging economy growth may be a challenge
• Consumerism and first-world lifestyles are much more devastating to environmental resources than overpopulation
• As populations urbanize, population growth rates will go down
• Educating men as well as women will encourage better support for family planning
• The biggest challenge in healthcare and family planning services is distribution - getting to remote communities is costly. 

While the talk was somewhat unnerving (10 billion people on earth would be insane!) it was also hopeful. Through education, funding, and technological development, we can hopefully find a solution to this global worry.

Join the next #FutureofNature conversation:

INVESTING IN NATURE: CONSERVATION AND THE BOTTOM LINE: MAY 12, 2014

Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, Roberts Theatre

527 Tremont Street, Boston

Reception 5:30 p.m.; panel 6:30 to 8 p.m.

How can environmentally sound investment provide competitive economic and ecological return for businesses and for society? Can market-based solutions create a stronger economy and a healthier environment?

Speakers will include: Mark Tercek, president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy and author of Nature’s Fortune; and Howard Stevenson of Harvard Business School.