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       October 28, 2011

　

(CNN Student News) -- October 28, 2011 The World's Population AZUZ: Jim Clancy has a report on another historic event. It hasn`t happened yet, but it`s coming in just a few days. According to estimates from the United Nations, this coming Monday the world population will hit 7 billion. But with more and more people, there are some concerns about whether there are enough resources to go around. Watch this report. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JIM CLANCY, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): October 31st, 2011: that`s the date the U.N. says the 7 billionth person will be born on Earth, 7 billion. That`s a crowded planet. JEFFREY SACHS, DIRECTOR, THE EARTH INSTITUTE: It took only 12 years to go from 6 billion to 7 billion, and it`s expected to take maybe another 14 years to go to 8 billion. So the trajectory is still rising quickly. CLANCY (voice-over): Sachs says all those people mean more demands for food, more stresses on the land, and more loss of water. But that`s not the biggest problem. SACHS: The big problem is that in the poorest countries, families are still having six, seven or eight children. That`s what`s putting this tremendous growth of population continuing, because in the high income countries, fertility rates have come down to two children on average or even less. CLANCY (voice-over): This map shows you birth rates across the world. Multiple births about five are centered in Africa. Most lower birth rates are in developed countries. Dr. Sachs says rapid population growth in poor countries often creates conflict and political stress at borders. And on top of that, cultural values and available health care in developing countries creates a barrier to proper birth control -- Jim Clancy, CNN, Atlanta. (END VIDEO CLIP)