Watched a fascinating documentary last night on BBC2 by Sir David Attenborough on the subject of how many people can the Earth sustain.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pdjmk/Horizon_20092010_How_Many_People_Can_Live_on_Planet_Earth/Roughly the basic facts are that according to UN figures we are at 6.8 billion today, and in about 4 months time it will hit 7 billion. By 2050 this will reach probably 9 billion.
Working on the basis of a calculation that each person ideally requires 2 hecters of land production to sustain them, the World can cope with about 11 billion. But based on what the average American uses, 9 hecters, and Britain, 5 hecters, the Earth will only sustain between1.5 to 2.5 billion long term. Using the hecters that Indians use the limit is around 15 billion.
Thomas Malthus in 1798, amid a growing population boom, expressed the opinion that this would lead eventually to the outstripping of food production and future famines. Fortunately agricultural practices have kept advancing to produce enough food for the world's expanding population - until apparently now. With water and oil supplies deminishing to such an extent that creating food in the quantities required, let alone producing the surpluses witnessed to recently, it is now becoming doubtful the Earth can provide long term for the human race, and come 2050 things will be decidely desperate!
An added fact was that India will have a population of 1.5 billion, outstripping China's then 1.4 billion.
With our climate under going some form of change, these facts make for some further serious thought. Maybe the only thing to say, and hope for, is GOD HELP US!! Especially our children, grand children, and great grand children
![Sad :(](http://images.omegaowners.com/forum/smf2000/Smileys/oofstd/sad.gif)