Tuesday, July 18, 2006

It's 2025. Where Do Most People Live?

The map indicates that the greatest increases in population density through 2025 are likely to occur in areas of developing countries that are already quite densely populated. In addition, the number of people living within 60 miles of a coastline is expected to increase by 35 percent over 1995 population levels, exposing 2.75 billion people worldwide to the effects of sea level rise and other coastal threats posed by global warming.

(Via Science Blog.)

3 comments:

W.M. Bear said...

Interesting approach to mapping population. By 2025, there will be EIGHT BILLION human beings on this planet. Unfortunately, most of them seem destined to be fodder for an endless cycle of war that seems to be spiraling slowly outward from the Middle East, and probably natural disasters, diseases, and starvation as well. I guess you'd have to call me a pessimist about this whole issue. Honestly, I see very little hope beyond space, planetary, and ultimately interstellar colonization for the happy few who manage to escape in this way and evolve into something brighter and hopefully more benign. The prophets of science and academia can warn and warn until they're blue in the face while the capitalists and their political lackeys continue their swinish ways.

Ask me how my day was! (Way too SWEATY, thank you.)

Mac said...

Call me pessimistic as well, but I think we're in for some major human fatalaties within the next 50 years. The current runaway population level is unsustainable. Something will give.

In the meantime, we have the Catholic Church preaching the evils of birth control. ("A madhouse!")

Kyle said...

Perhaps the best result of planetary or interstellar colonization will be the easing of population pressures here, and a resulting need for cooperation among those "left behind".

With the vast majority of Earth's water presently tied up in ice, perhaps the changes in climate coupled with a growing exodus to parts elsewhere will leave this rock better off...in the long run.

And if the dumber ones living at the coasts, on faults, and on or near volcanoes are swept away, swallowed up, or incinerated, who's to say the ones spared wont be better stewards of what's left?

Hmmm...

Kyle