This means that there are 8,073,859,407 people living on earth at the turn of the year, as the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) announced on Saturday. That’s more than ever before – but the increase has been slowing for decades. The number of people rose fastest between 1965 and 1970; since then, according to the United Nations, relative growth has almost halved.
According to the foundation, the reason for this is that women have fewer children on average. The development is different in Africa: According to DSW, by 2080 there will probably be 2.5 billion people, more than twice as many people as today. Women there often have many children early because sex education is inadequate, access to contraceptives is often difficult and there is a lack of gender equality.
Children as retirement provision
“In addition, in too many societies and regions, children are still seen as insurance for old age or as a sign of prosperity,” explained Jan Kreutzberg, Managing Director of the World Population Foundation. Women must be able to decide for themselves when and with whom they have how many children.
