The news of the 8 billionth person joining our species last week was a joyous affair, with the UN secretary general, António Guterres, declaring it “an occasion to celebrate”. In contrast, when the global population hit 4, 5, 6 and 7 billion, in 1975, 1987, 1999 and 2011 respectively, there was widespread dismay, although that reduced with each billion. The doubling of our numbers in 47 years did not bring about the famines and other disasters widely predicted in the 1960s.
As Poonam Muttreja, the executive director
