As of 5 November 2025, the population of the Earth is approximately 8,255,001,630, according to data from NationsGeo.com. As of June 2026, Worldometers.com put the population of the Earth at 8,300,678,395. In 2021, Worldometers.com put the global population at approximately 7,954,000,000. Population has been increasing at a rate of 0.84%. 0.84% sounds like a slowdown in population growth.
The growth clip is on the positive but is below what I would consider a normal growth in population. Growing at a rate below one percent at first glance tells that there is not a healthy increase in the Earth’s population. A little research offers an argument that my fears might not be substantiated.
To determine a healthy increase in global population, one should consider how well population meshes with environmental limits, social well-being, and technological capacity. Healthy, from a sustainability perspective, could mean seeing a healthy increase in global population based on a match or coming in below resource and/or technology levels of the planet. Healthy could also refer to balanced improvements in education, healthcare access, or access to family planning. In addition, according to a study by the University of California at Berkley, healthy could also mean avoiding the excessive strain placed on ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate systems.
Given the strain on the Earth’s environment as described in the above paragraphs, does the Earth’s population have anything to do with the strains put on the planet? The answer could be yes.
Take food and agriculture. According to the website, Environmental Consortium, a growing global population threatens the Earth’s delivery of energy, food, and water. Traditional agricultural practices are being replaced by monoculture farming or the use of chemical fertilizers and chemicals.
Deforestation is another problem. Environmental Consortium points out that a hunger for farmland drives deforestation which turn once lush ecosystems into barren fields which also displace or destroy wildlife.
I would also touch on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides leach into water bodies, poison aquatic life, contaminate drinking water, and generate methane, according to Environmental Consortium.
Meanwhile, the global population is expected to peak at around 10.3 billion people before starting its decline around 2084, where a 0.13% decline in population is expected between 2085 and 2100.
How will law adjust to the environmental and population change planet Earth is expected to see in the next sixty to eighty years?
Alton Drew
27 June 2026
Contract Law. 