World population

Proven oil reserves, instead of being depleted, as a matter of fact, tripled over the last 30 years and now are a trillion barrels. Natural gas reserves have grown even more. This seems so impressive that most people assume that there can be no oil or gas shortage in sight. However, inevitably increasing consumption by a growing world population... 

During the period from 1950 to 1992, the worldwide proven reserves of natural gas increased at an average annual rate of approximately 6.7% (3—5). In this same period, worldwide production iacreased at an average annual rate of approximately 5.7% (5) so that the annual worldwide consumption of natural gas as of 1992 was equivalent to approximately 1.7% of the proven reserves. This suggests that the proven reserves, assuming the reserves could be deUvered to the existing world markets, could satisfy the requirements of this market for more than 50 years. However, world population is expected to iacrease and the demand for natural gas is expected to expand both ia areas that are heavily iadustrialized and ia areas where iadustrialization activities are underway. 

In the second quarter of the twentieth century, with the development of poly(vinyl chloride), nylon, polyurethane, and other polymers, many new and improved leather-like materials, so-called coated fabrics (qv), were placed on the market. Shortages of leather after World War 11 led to the expansion of these leather-like materials ("man-made" leathers) to replace leather in shoes, clothing, bags, upholstery, and other items. DurabiUty and waterproof quahties superior to leather made coated fabrics advantageous, in spite of imperfection in breathabihty and flexibiUty. Demands for shoes, clothing, and other items are stiU increasing due to growing world population and urbanization. 

As of 1995, the forest industry in the United States employed about 1.6 million people and produced products valued at over 200 biUion each year, approximately 20 biUion of which was in exports. There were 350 pulp mills, 600 paper and board mills, and ca 4500 converting plants in the United States producing ca 30% of the total world production. The United States and Western Europe, which represent ca 13% of the world population, consumed about 60% of production. 

V., New York, 1994, 830 pp. Part 1 examines world population growth, agricultural production, and food suppHes Part 2 presents the development of... 

The total world population was about 5.5 billion in 1997, 5.5 xlO9 of whom 640 million (about 12%) were in the developed areas (USA, Japan, Western Europe). They consume 10-15 dry cells per person in a year. In the developing areas (China, South-East Asia, India, Africa, South America), which contain is 88% of the... 

The current world population stands at 5.3 billion and is growing rapidly (1), Demographers project that the world population will reach 6.1 billion by the turn of the century, approach 8.2 billion by 2025, and probably reach 15 billion by 2100 (2), Never before in history have humans, by their sheer numbers, so dominated the earth and its resources. What is equally alarming is the 1.8% annual population growth rate --a rate 1800-times greater than that during the first million years of human existence. At this growth rate about one quarter million people are added to the world population every day. 

Considered together these problems disable people, diminish their productivity and make their lives extremely stressful. Worse still, the outlook for improvement, given the continued rapid growth in the world population, is bleak. 

World Population Data Sheet Population Reference Bureau Washington, DC, 1990. 

Over the past 30 years, the world food production has grown faster than the population, the major basis of consumption. The world food production increased at an annual rate of 2.4% (grain production increased at 2.7%), while the world population increase is now less than 2% (9). Research and improved technologies have contributed to an increase in food availability, which will continue if an appropriate political, social, and economic environment exists. The world population, now at 5.5 billion, is predicted to be 10 billion in the last quarter of the next century (9) and will place greater demands on the production and processing of food. 

Broadly speaking, the direct behavioral effects of neurotoxic pollutants on wild animals may be on feeding, breeding, or avoidance of predation (Beitinger 1990), or any combination of these. Any of these changes may have adverse effects on populations. Additionally, in the natural world, populations may be affected indirectly because of neurotoxic and behavioral effects on other species. Thus, a population decline of one species due to a behavioral effect of a pollutant may lead to a consequent decline of its parasites or predators, even though they are not themselves directly affected by the chemical. Direct effects will now be discussed before considering indirect ones. 

UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) (2007) State of the World Population 2007. Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, 108 p. 

The world population (P) continues to increase, though there is evidence that the rate of increase maybe dechning. The aspirations for the populations of developing coimtries to improve their economic circumstances and political pressure to ehminate excessive disparities of wealth in developed coimtries are such that average prosperity or economic activity (Wp) is also unhkely to show any marked reduction in the foreseeable future. If, as some contend, the world is close to, even beyond, its carrying capacity, then to prevent any further increases (or even to reduce it) it will be necessary to offset increases in P and Wp by proportionate decreases in P v... 

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