World’s population may go down towards end of century: Study

Even though the world population is going through the roof, a recent study has suggested that the trend may go down towards the end of the century.

According to the study carried out by LiveScience, the world population is likely to reach its all-time high at 9 billion in 2050. However, it will gradually come down before the century ends.

If current trends hold true, the world's population, which is currently 7.96 billion, will reach an all-time high of 8.6 billion in the middle of the century before falling by almost 2 billion before the century's end, NDTV reported quoting the LiveScience.

Moreover, the researchers, in their second scenario-The Giant Leap, have also estimated that the number may reach 8.5 billion by 2040 and then nosedive to 6 billion by the century end.

On the other hand, the authors claim that the other prominent population projections often underplay the importance of rapid economic development.

"We know rapid economic development in low-income countries has a huge impact on fertility rates. Fertility rates fall as girls get access to education and women are economically empowered and have access to better healthcare," the national media house reported quoting Per Espen Stoknes, Earth4All project lead and director of the Centre for Sustainability at the Norwegian Business School.

"Few prominent models simulate population growth, economic development, and their connections simultaneously," comments Beniamino Callegari, an associate professor from Kristiania and member of the Earth4All modelling team.