Scientists say humans are ravaging Earth, warn of drastic population rise by 2070s

The world's population could hit 12.4 billion by the late 2070s, putting an immense burden on Earth's resources, a study has found. Even with 8.3 billion people, experts say that we are pushing the limits. Resources will continue to deplete in the coming years, and the number of people will keep rising. "The truly sustainable population is much lower and closer to what the world supported in the mid–twentieth century," said Professor Corey Bradshaw, lead author of the study. Their calculations showed that if everyone lived "within ecological limits and comfortable, economically secure living standards", then the population could rise by 2.5 billion. Researchers rang the warning bell, urging authorities to take urgent steps to mitigate the problem. "Humanity's current path will push societies into deeper crises unless we make major changes," Professor Bradshaw added.

The study aimed to understand the impact of the growing population on food security, climate stability, and human well-being. They analysed over two centuries of global demographic records and applied ecological growth models to map the evolution of population sizes and growth trends over time. What they found was shocking. They state that Earth is giving a "clear biological signal" that it has taken on too much pressure and that people are taking more than what it has to offer. Bradshaw said that "we are pushing the planet harder than it can possibly cope" and Earth cannot even support "today's demand without major changes." He warned, "Earth cannot keep up with the way in which we are using resources."

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Billions at risk amid strain on resources

Having more people penned a different story for Earth before the 1950s. A growing population translated into rapid technological development. But in the 60s, this trend ended, and the world entered a "negative demographic phase." So adding more people no longer translates into faster growth, Professor Bradshaw said. During the negative phase, the researchers noted that the increasing population directly led to global temperatures rising and created larger ecological footprints and higher carbon emissions. The researchers warned that the planet's life support systems are already under strain, and billions of people face instability if drastic steps are not taken.