Fifty years ago concern for rapid population growth was a major concern.
"The Population Bomb is a 1968 book co-authored by Stanford University Professor emeritus Paul R. Ehrlich and Stanford senior researcher emeritus in conservation biology Anne Howland Ehrlich.[1][2] It predicted worldwide famine due to overpopulation, as well as other major societal upheavals, and advocated immediate action to limit population growth. Fears of a "population explosion" existed in the mid-20th century baby boom years, but the book and its authors brought the idea to an even wider audience.[3][4][5]"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Population_Bomb
Their projections were accurate at the time. Their projections influenced many planners, and many of us were dealing with rapid growth in rapidly urbanizing areas. We were very concerned about environmental challenges caused by too many people.
But things have changed. Projections are always difficult, especially for the future.
Urbanization, economic improvements, and birth control are reducing this threat. The worldwide birth rate continues to drop as people decide to have fewer children. All the advanced western countries have below replacement rates. Zero population growth rate is 21.0 births per 1,000 women.
According to CIA sources, here are the birth rates per 1,000 women in the world's most populated countries.
China 9.93
India 16.82
USA 12.28
This is a good thing. The world population is 8 billion and growing, but the growth rate has dramatically reduced.
Source: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/birth-rate/country-comparison
The two tables below show the 2023 Birth rates for the countries with the highest birth rates.
https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/IDN/indonesia/birth-rate
So planners will now deal with the new reality. We will still deal with rapid growth in some rapidly areas such as Texas and Florida.
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