The overpopulation myth, debunked by a data scientist | Hannah Ritchie

Chapters: 00:00: The overpopulation concern 02:01: Global population growth rates 02:28: The fall in global fertility rates 03:06: Amount of food produced per person 03:50: Per capita CO2 emissions 04:17: The underpopulation concern ### 🌍 **Is Overpopulation Really the Problem? Or Is It a Dangerous Myth?** For decades, one idea has haunted environmental debates: **"There are just too many people on Earth."** From forced sterilizations to cutting food aid, some of the so-called “solutions” to this perceived crisis have been deeply unethical—and alarmingly popular. 📘 This fear peaked in the 1960s–70s with the release of *The Population Bomb*, predicting mass famine and chaos. But the world evolved in two critical ways: #### 1. 📉 **Global fertility rates fell sharply** In 1950, the average woman had **5 children**. Today, it's just **2.3**—and still falling. #### 2. 🌾 **Technological leaps in agriculture** Yields have doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled across many regions. We're growing **more food per person** than ever before—even with billions more people. 🔍 Still, many argue that population—especially in **low-income countries**—fuels climate change. But here’s the truth: - These regions often have **extremely low CO₂ emissions per person.** - You could add **billions** more people at those levels and barely affect global emissions. --- ### 🧓 **A New Crisis: Underpopulation?** In high-income nations, the worry has flipped. Aging populations threaten economies as **working-age groups shrink**, weakening the very engine that drives productivity and growth. --- ### 💡 **The Most Dangerous Idea?** Comparing humanity to a **cancer on the planet.** It implies people are the problem—and removal is the solution. But we’re also the **innovators, problem-solvers, and stewards** of Earth’s future. **If we dehumanize each other, how do we build a better world together?** --- 👀 **So if not overpopulation… what *is* the real environmental threat?** Let’s explore that next. --- overpopulation, population growth, fertility rates, demographic transition, The Population Bomb, Paul Ehrlich, agricultural advancements, food per person, global population, climate change, CO2 emissions per capita, underpopulation, aging populations, working-age population, sustainable development, climate solutions, environmental impact, economic stability, population density, global cooperation, human impact on environment, overpopulation myth, technological advancements in agriculture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices