The World in 2050
World in 2050: World in 2050 will be inhabited by almost 9 billion and has to be made sustainable for the survival of this population. In one of the reports given by WBCSD, if current population maintains its rate of consumption and waste creation, it will need 2.3 earths to survive in 2050. For the individuals, businesses, nations and the world of 2050 the new definition of growth will be singular and that is of societal growth and sustainability. Sustainability, eco-friendliness, recyclability, and green-efficiency will no longer be choices but will be an integral part of their actions. With 9 billion people, the needs of world for food, land, water, mobility, connectivity, education, health, energy, natural resources will lead the world to develop process/products with high efficiencies, agricultural land to have high fertility rates, nations to make recyclability a necessity etc. Some of the major areas of action will be:
• Food: Agriculture and animal husbandry will be high growth businesses with high profits, best practices, genetically modified seeds and eggs, mechanised farming, government subsidies and high fertility farmlands expanding from thousands of hectare to millions of hectares under single farms.
• Water: Clean drinking water will be scarce and business and governments will invest in this area extensively. Recycling and reusability technology will be required and more private participation in providing clean drinking water.
• Energy: Major sources of energy will then be renewable and will be more efficient in both generation and transmission. Localised power generation and consumption will prevail with development of new technologies. Solar energy is expected to be one such localised and efficient source.
• Technology: Technology will focus on reusability, recyclability and high efficiencies, lower carbon footprint. Technology has to ensure sustainability without any reduction in usage experience or efficiency.
• Individuals/population:
• Food: Agriculture and animal husbandry will be high growth businesses with high profits, best practices, genetically modified seeds and eggs, mechanised farming, government subsidies and high fertility farmlands expanding from thousands of hectare to millions of hectares under single farms.
• Water: Clean drinking water will be scarce and business and governments will invest in this area extensively. Recycling and reusability technology will be required and more private participation in providing clean drinking water.
• Energy: Major sources of energy will then be renewable and will be more efficient in both generation and transmission. Localised power generation and consumption will prevail with development of new technologies. Solar energy is expected to be one such localised and efficient source.
• Technology: Technology will focus on reusability, recyclability and high efficiencies, lower carbon footprint. Technology has to ensure sustainability without any reduction in usage experience or efficiency.
• Individuals/population: