244
Delving into the history of humanity only a
few cases occurred when significant social
changes happened peacefully (practically the last
such transformation, the collapse of socialist
regimes took place peacefully in most regions).
None can be found at all in the case of which fundamental changes would have affected the entire
global social system at one time, and the transition would have been peaceful. Yet, reducing substantially the economic and life standard
differences among and within countries in a way
that everyone could satisfy their needs in a more
developed society—without overloading the
environment—would make changes in the global
social relations more fundamental than ever.
It is a major concern that in case the transition
is not peaceful what will remain from humanity
regarding the development level of current and
future military technology. Could war solve this
transition altogether? Probably not. The most significant field of solution remains then, technological development in a way to produce
necessary products for humans with the least
possible environmental impact. More even distribution of produced goods, however, cannot be
given up, and the utilisation of products and
energy has to be more economical. Besides,
another fundamental issue is to stop the global
growth of population as soon as possible.
6.5
Missing from SDGs:
Stabilising the Population
of Earth
The fundamental goal in the title (stopping the
increase of the population of the planet) would
have effects on most SDGs. Implementing this
goal would enable the global society to achieve
sustainable development sooner living in better
conditions. This would have beneficial effects on
natural ecological systems as well helping also
the implementation of several other SDGs (SDGs
13, 14, 15). This is why a goal like that given in
the title is missed from the SDGs of UN by the
authors. Doubtless, influencing population trends
is a long-term process but global population conditions have to be challenged, especially due to
the overpopulation of poor countries and migration as well. The authors believe that some of the
17 SDGs can be implemented only in the longterm like reducing inequalities among countries,
free basic and secondary education for all or
stopping global warming. They are still included
in the Transforming Our World 2030 document,
and rightly so, as without their solution, the
development of the society cannot be made sustainable, neither without stopping population
growth.
In the first decade of the twenty-first century
it looked like the population of the Earth was
going to stabilise at around 9–9.5 billion people
around the middle of the century. The reason for
this is the slowly decreasing global population
growth rate since the 1980s due to on the one
hand, the spontaneous decrease of growth rate
in developed countries and, on the other hand,
as a result of demographic measures introduced
in several countries, especially China. Recent
years brought changes again in population
growth. Economic results in the most populous
country of the world contributed to easing the
strict demographic policy. Furthermore, medical science and global improvement of healthcare (even though this remains at a relatively
low level in many countries in European standards) brings faster growth than estimated
before. This means that population of humanity
increasing above 10 billion people in the current
century is likely.
Especially fast population growth is expected
in Africa as the population of the continent could
reach 4 billion people by the end of the twentyfirst century. This would put an enormous pressure on the currently rich natural tropical wildlife.
Not only the population of Africa but that of
India, SE Asia and Latin America also grows fast
(especially Indonesia within the SE Asia region).
It is clear in the figure showing the hotspots of
endangering biological diversity (Fig. 4.67 in
Sect. 4.4) that the majority of the threatened
regions are located in areas with rapidly growing
population. However, growing population needs
expanding built environment and infrastructure at
the expense of habitats as their degradation is
accelerated.
6 Steps Towards Realising Global Sustainable Development
Delving into the history of humanity only a
few cases occurred when significant social
changes happened peacefully (practically the last
such transformation, the collapse of socialist
regimes took place peacefully in most regions).
None can be found at all in the case of which fundamental changes would have affected the entire
global social system at one time, and the transition would have been peaceful. Yet, reducing substantially the economic and life standard
differences among and within countries in a way
that everyone could satisfy their needs in a more
developed society—without overloading the
environment—would make changes in the global
social relations more fundamental than ever.
It is a major concern that in case the transition
is not peaceful what will remain from humanity
regarding the development level of current and
future military technology. Could war solve this
transition altogether? Probably not. The most significant field of solution remains then, technological development in a way to produce
necessary products for humans with the least
possible environmental impact. More even distribution of produced goods, however, cannot be
given up, and the utilisation of products and
energy has to be more economical. Besides,
another fundamental issue is to stop the global
growth of population as soon as possible.
6.5
Missing from SDGs:
Stabilising the Population
of Earth
The fundamental goal in the title (stopping the
increase of the population of the planet) would
have effects on most SDGs. Implementing this
goal would enable the global society to achieve
sustainable development sooner living in better
conditions. This would have beneficial effects on
natural ecological systems as well helping also
the implementation of several other SDGs (SDGs
13, 14, 15). This is why a goal like that given in
the title is missed from the SDGs of UN by the
authors. Doubtless, influencing population trends
is a long-term process but global population conditions have to be challenged, especially due to
the overpopulation of poor countries and migration as well. The authors believe that some of the
17 SDGs can be implemented only in the longterm like reducing inequalities among countries,
free basic and secondary education for all or
stopping global warming. They are still included
in the Transforming Our World 2030 document,
and rightly so, as without their solution, the
development of the society cannot be made sustainable, neither without stopping population
growth.
In the first decade of the twenty-first century
it looked like the population of the Earth was
going to stabilise at around 9–9.5 billion people
around the middle of the century. The reason for
this is the slowly decreasing global population
growth rate since the 1980s due to on the one
hand, the spontaneous decrease of growth rate
in developed countries and, on the other hand,
as a result of demographic measures introduced
in several countries, especially China. Recent
years brought changes again in population
growth. Economic results in the most populous
country of the world contributed to easing the
strict demographic policy. Furthermore, medical science and global improvement of healthcare (even though this remains at a relatively
low level in many countries in European standards) brings faster growth than estimated
before. This means that population of humanity
increasing above 10 billion people in the current
century is likely.
Especially fast population growth is expected
in Africa as the population of the continent could
reach 4 billion people by the end of the twentyfirst century. This would put an enormous pressure on the currently rich natural tropical wildlife.
Not only the population of Africa but that of
India, SE Asia and Latin America also grows fast
(especially Indonesia within the SE Asia region).
It is clear in the figure showing the hotspots of
endangering biological diversity (Fig. 4.67 in
Sect. 4.4) that the majority of the threatened
regions are located in areas with rapidly growing
population. However, growing population needs
expanding built environment and infrastructure at
the expense of habitats as their degradation is
accelerated.
6 Steps Towards Realising Global Sustainable Development