U.S. special climate envoy John Kerry declared that 10 billion humans on the planet is “unsustainable” as he set out his future plans to “fix” that problem of population growth.
The global population hit eight billion people in November 2022, three times the figure recorded in 1950.
According to U.N. projections, the current figure is set to hit 9.7 billion humans on the planet by the middle of the century.
However, John Kerry expressed fears about the current population growth, outlining his plans to the AFP.
“I don’t think it’s sustainable, personally,” Kerry said.
“We need to figure out how we’re going to deal with the issue of sustainability and the numbers of people we’re trying to take care of on the planet,” he added.
Kerry added that sustainably feeding people is the key, pointing to Africa as an example of unsustainable population growth and the pressure on food supply chains.
Other supporters of driving behavioral change in order to lessen population growth include The World Economic Forum, which has been pushing for meat alternatives and the consumption of bugs.
By 2050, we’ll have 10 billion mouths to feed – on a finite planet.
— World Economic Forum (@wef) May 30, 2022
Tuck into something that could change the world: https://t.co/F03i29fbCR pic.twitter.com/3oULnVW0kf
Irish Gvt to Slaughter 200,000 “Farting” Cows to Fight “Climate Change”https://t.co/Hcgjka9BUM
— The Daily Fetched (@DailyFetched) June 3, 2023
Kerry continued:
“I’ve been to a number of African countries where they’re very proud of their increased birth rate, but the fact is, it’s unsustainable for life today, let alone when you add the future numbers.”
“I’m not recommending the population go down,” the 79-year-old added.
“I think we have the life we have on the planet. And we have to respect life, and we could do it in so many better ways than we’re doing now.”
The former secretary of state added that his concern for food and how it is produced does “not necessarily” mean people would need to stop eating meat due to cows “farting” and emissions produced from intensive agriculture.
In 2021, Kerry was asked by the BBC, “Isn’t the brutal truth, Mr. Kerry, that Americans have just got to eat less meat” due to agricultural emissions?” To which Kerry responded, “Not necessarily.”
“There is a lot of research being done now that will change both the way meat is produced, cattle are herded and fed. Research is being done that actually reduces the amount of methane,” Kerry added.
Kerry admitted, “We don’t know some of the answers.”
“But I guarantee you that the United States of America is not only setting a goal but is moving rapidly on track to reduce all of our emissions, become carbon-free in the power sector by 2035, and do what other countries are also doing; Europe and elsewhere, to move as rapidly as possible to net zero,” Kerry said.
Meanwhile, Norway is drastically changing the eating habits of its population.
Norway’s environment agency released a report last week which said the country could reduce an equivalent of 4.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions between 2024-2030 if its citizens followed the government’s “nutrition guidance.”
That so-called “guidance” included the reduction in the consumption of meat by 500 grams per week.
