Can we stop population growth? Will there be enough energy?

Tough questions to be solved in the next 50 years. We had the privilege to attend this insightful lecture given by Hans Rosling, professor of International Health at Karolinska Institutet and Director of the Gapminder Foundation, together with Prof. Peter Lund from Aalto University. The event was organized by Unicef Finland and Aalto University.

Some of the main arguments of the lecture

In 1950’s the world could still be divided in “We” and “Them”, corresponding to the developed countries of west (low birth rates, high life expectancy) and to the developing countries (high birth rates, low life expectancy). As demonstrated by statistics and Trendalyzer software developed by Prof. Rosling, such division does not apply anymore.

Ensuring adequate health care for women and children in countries with low income will not result in population explosion (a violent word which we should stop using in connection to having children, as pointed out by Prof. Rosling), but in lower child mortality and lower birth rates.

If political, everyday and economic will exists, the gap formed by peak oil and population growth can be bridged with new technologies and renewable sources of energy. It would cost each one of us here in the northern hemisphere approximately the price of one cup of coffee per day.