The overpopulation myth, debunked by a data scientist | Hannah Ritchie
Big Think - A podcast by bigthink

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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 ### š **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 āsolutionsā to this perceived crisis have been deeply unethicalāand alarmingly popular. š This fear peaked in the 1960sā70s with the release of *The Population Bomb*, predicting mass famine and chaos. But the world evolved in two critical ways: #### 1. š **Global fertility rates fell sharply** In 1950, the average woman had **5 children**. Today, it's just **2.3**āand still falling. #### 2. š¾ **Technological leaps in agriculture** Yields have doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled across many regions. We're growing **more food per person** than ever beforeāeven with billions more people. š Still, many argue that populationāespecially in **low-income countries**āfuels climate change. But hereās the truth: - These regions often have **extremely low COā emissions per person.** - You could add **billions** more people at those levels and barely affect global emissions. --- ### š§ **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. --- ### š” **The Most Dangerous Idea?** Comparing humanity to a **cancer on the planet.** It implies people are the problemāand removal is the solution. But weāre also the **innovators, problem-solvers, and stewards** of Earthās future. **If we dehumanize each other, how do we build a better world together?** --- š **So if not overpopulation⦠what *is* the real environmental threat?** Letās 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