The world population is still increasing, but from that gapmind.org
site it appears that the number of babies per woman is falling and
wealth is increasing. So in the next generation we may see a flatlining
of the population curve.
That being so will not solve the problem as energy, which is also
flatlining will start decreasing from about now to the next five years.

As far as an optimistic future is concerned why don't you look at the
Transition Towns movement ? Google it !
They have the right idea. They believe that we can adapt and avoid
any major disaster and live quite happy useful lives on less energy
without having to go back to the 16th century.
They accept that everything will become local including electricity
generation, food production, furniture manufacture etc etc.

It does not have to be a total disaster (unless you work in aviation)
on the way down the Hubbard curve.

Thank you Pericles.

landrights4all,

I imagine that you are aware of Landshare
http://www.landshareaustralia.com.au

I do not know how well this would work in third world countries ... there are a number of variables which would need to be addressed, not the least social hierarchies.

Bazz,

The idea that councils provide solar power has a great deal of merit.

I live in a rural fringe area. Once dense with trees, the area is becoming denuded a people cut these down in order that the sun has clear access to reach their solar panels.

The poor will lead? in say Bangladesh, land rights for all?
Are you pulling our leg?
It is the act of sex that produces Children, and often linked to no birth control, in fact a need for children to help feed the parents.
We if we wish can look for other reasons for hunger, starvation, mass deaths, blame it on drought and any thing.
But is that too not a symptom of to many humans on to little land?
If we are not over populated when will we be,10 Billion? 100 Billion?
I know, I truly do, my thought that we, one day, maybe controlled by a Dictatorship, possibly China?, is seen as silly.
But here, in one thread, the true nature of us, humanity can be seen, we can not even agree if we have a problem!
And one proposes the victims fix it if we do!

Dear Pericles,

I am afraid my friend that sort of thinking is like Belly's collection of quotes linked to in one of his recent posts, filled mainly with those from the dead. It is old and hardly relevant given what has been achieved in the last 50 years.

For the most part we are not dumb animals but thinking human beings who have developed and used chemical and societal means of controlling our population forestalling most of the doomsday predictions from the past.

While famine brings lower birth rates poverty does the opposite and therein lies the answer. The more countries are lifted from poverty, the higher the child survival rate and therefore the impetuous to have greater family size is dramatically diminished.

The incredible achievements of the great majority of the world's countries who have managed to raise their populations from poverty and thus have seen plummeting birth rates per woman should be viewed with wonder and hope.

World population is expected to peak at 10 billion then trend downwards which will bring its own sets of challenges for economies fixated with growth. Of course there is the immediate challenge of feeding that 10 billion but also of continuing to drag countries out of poverty, Afghanistan and the Congo being two prime candidates. We should be capable of that as a species especially if we can provide the resources and coordinated efforts that are required which is why it is often disheartening to here cries of protest about our aid budget or our commitment to the UN.

We have already reached our peak of 2 billion children on the planet and this will not change by 2100, it is managing the inevitable population peak at 10 billion that will occupy us from here.
http://www.gapminder.org/videos/religions-and-babies/

At least Bazz has taken the time to digest the message delivered by Mr Rosling. Tell me why he has it wrong and I will listen but please don't ignore him.

Dear Belly,

You should watch the above video too if you are able. It may well calm some of your fears.

Dear Belly,

You have sneered “The poor will lead? in say Bangladesh, land rights for all? Are you pulling our leg?”

Lets have a look at the facts shall we.

In just 30 years Bangladesh has dropped its infant mortality rate per 1000 births from 138 to less than 50.

As a result it has taken its fertility rate during that period from almost 7 children per couple to 2.4.

Its annual population growth for 2007-8 was 1.4% compared to a country like Syria which was 3.5%.

It is one of the most amazing turnarounds of any nation on the planet.

Can they do more with the help of wealthy countries like ourselves, of course, unless they try selling jute to Cuba.

Why not find it in your heart to give credit where it is due?