The World Counts (2024)

FAQs

What resources will run out by 2050? ›

According to him, “in this scenario it is possible that the reserves of some of these elements will be exhausted in 2050 — such as gold and antimony — or in less than 100 years — in the case of molybdenum and zinc.”

We do not produce any original information but rely on data from a large number of organizations, research institutions, news services etc. We aim to use data from respected and well known organizations. But we also use data from a large number of smaller organizations, blogs etc.

The effects of natural resource depletion include increased costs, ecosystem dysfunction, and further climate change. Some solutions to natural resource depletion include sustainable development policies and energy efficiency with a focus on a circular economy.

Earth will interact tidally with the Sun's outer atmosphere, which would decrease Earth's orbital radius. Drag from the chromosphere of the Sun would reduce Earth's orbit. These effects will counterbalance the impact of mass loss by the Sun, and the Sun will likely engulf Earth in about 7.59 billion years from now.

Fresh Water. We are facing an unprecedented water crisis, with global freshwater demand predicted to exceed supply by 40% by 2030, says the UN. A new report puts forth urgent actions humans must take collectively to stop the imminent water crisis.

TheWorldCounts is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The site is being run and continuously updated by Esben Larsen and Karsten Bjerring Olsen. We work on bringing you the latest and most accurate live statistics on the state of the planet. Do you have questions or comments, or ideas?

The World Counts illustrates negative trends using live counters related to: The environment. Energy & climate. Your health.

8.1 Billion (current)

The term "World Population" refers to the human population (the total number of humans currently living) of the world.

We must have food, water, air, and shelter to survive. If any one of these basic needs is not met, then humans cannot survive.

Looking farther into the future, other sources claim that things like aluminum might run dry in about 80 years. Other studies indicate that rhodium, followed by gold, platinum and tellurium, are some of the rarest elements in terms of their percentage in the planet's crust and their importance to society.

Is overconsumption killing the planet? ›

But the wide-reaching environmental and global health consequences of our current practices make it abundantly clear that we're consuming a lot more than we need to. Unless we make a change, overconsumption will destroy our ecosystems — and possibly humanity's ability to live within them.

Coal, iron ore, zinc, lead, copper, sulfur, gold, and silver are among the most abundant minerals (in relative terms), with lesser quantities of tungsten, chromite, and manganese. Japan also has large deposits of limestone.

The five major impacts humans have on the environment include deforestation, global warming, overharvesting, pollution, and agriculture. These have contributed to vast species extinctions, incremental and continuous rises in the sea level, and record setting hot temperatures in the earth's greenhouse atmosphere.

What causes the depletion of our natural resources? Overpopulation. With 7 billion people on the planet, the demand on Earth's resources continue to increase. Overconsumption and waste.

The global population, which is set to grow by 28 per cent, is predicted to use 71 per cent more resources per capita by 2050. Without urgent steps to increase efficiency, the global use of metals, biomass, minerals – such as sand – and other materials will increase from 85 to 186 billion tonnes per year by 2050.

Nonrenewable energy resources include coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear energy. Once these resources are used up, they cannot be replaced, which is a major problem for humanity as we are currently dependent on them to supply most of our energy needs.

Water, agriculture, and air

Phosphorus, which is used for fertilization in modern agriculture, also might see a dwindling supply by as early as 2030, affecting global food supplies. Livable air and environmental quality is also expected to become a scarcer resource than it already is.

There will be a significant rise in social and financial stratification. Large cities will grow and population density will increase. The most technologically and economically advanced countries will engage in a new space race and new crewed missions to the Moon. Technologies will progress stepwise.