The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs shared this startling news in their Feature Article and video here, courtesy of the ‘Voice Un Desa’ Newsletter.
“More than a third of 50 recently surveyed Nobel laureates cited “population rise / environmental degradation” as the biggest threat to humankind. Second on the list was “nuclear war”, cited by 23 per cent of the laureates, while no other issue was selected by more than 10 per cent of respondents.
Are the survey responses of the Nobelists an accurate assessment of the relative importance of the threats facing humanity? And why were population increase and environmental damage bundled together in the survey, rather than being treated as separate issues?
A new report on population growth and sustainable development from the Population Division of UN DESA revisits the complex relationships linking population increase to social and economic development and environmental change.”
The article can be read in full here.
The full report can be read at the United Nations Population Division.