UN chief speaks to 6.8 billion people on World Population Day

United Nations chief addresses one solution to the challenge of overpopulation on World Population Day, as the world's human population now reaches 6.8 billion people.

July 11 is World Population Day, and the nearly 6.8 billion people on the planet have nothing to celebrate - as it is estimated that the current population needs 1.3 Earths to sustain it. And while this year marks the 15th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development, we have nothing to show for that passage of time. The overpopulation issue is likely the biggest single issue facing our species - as all secondary issues that are deemed of highest import stem from it: resource management, pollution, war, disease, infrastructure, etc. And though we can recognize that 6.8 billion people are already far too many, global leaders have been unable to put policies in place to do anything about it. Scientists widely agree that we are in a period of overshoot. This is an unfortunate occurrence that cannot be sustained with the limited resources the planet provides. "According to Global Footprint Network, 1.3 planet Earths would be required to sustainably meet the needs of our current population at present levels of consumption and waste. If we continue current upward trends in consumption and population, by 2035 we’ll need 2 Earths. This means we are not acting sustainably," reported Daily Kos. The overpopulation issue far outranks that of global warming - and it is far more tangible and real. Yet there has been no concerted effort to tackle it. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released a statement on the topic on Saturday. "In the midst of the worst global economic crisis in generations, we must find the most effective ways to continue progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. There is no better path than the focus of this year’s World Population Day: investing in women and girls,' he said. Investing in women and in girls is a universal need that transcends all cultures. "As budgets tighten, the crisis threatens to wipe out hard-won progress in improving health and reducing poverty. When household incomes decline, girls are more likely to drop out of school. When profits decline, women are more likely to lose their employment and sources of income. When health systems suffer, women risk childbirth without life-saving services. Even before the crisis, a mother died every minute in pregnancy and childbirth, nearly all in developing countries where the crisis has pushed women deeper into poverty," the UN chief added. But it will take more than statements posted on web sites. At the G8 Summit this week, there was considerable debate on climate change and on food relief - but there was no analysis of the cause behind these symptoms. The increases in carbon emissions reflect increased demand from an increasing population, and the challenges on food supply reflect a greater number of mouths. It all comes back to too many people competing for too few resources, and the problem is projected to amplify.