Climate and Population Stabilization - February 2000

Climate and Population Stabilization - February 2000

In its "Earth White Paper 2000," the Worldwatch Institute announced that climate change and population growth are the biggest challenges of the 21st century. According to UN estimates, the world population is expected to reach 8.9 billion by 2050, and in order to keep it under 8 billion, there is an urgent need to strengthen family planning and education in each country. In particular, measures are needed in countries with high population growth rates, such as India and Nigeria.

In order to stabilize the climate, reduction of greenhouse gases is considered essential, and the report states that carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions must be reduced by 25% from 1990 levels. To achieve this, the report recommends that solar and wind power generation be increased to 30% of the world's total energy supply by 2030. In addition, major carbon dioxide emitting countries such as the United States and China are urged to shift from coal to renewable energy.

The energy transition emphasizes a shift from coal-fired power generation to solar and wind power generation. According to the report, although the cost of power generation per kilowatt-hour reaches about 24 yen for solar and 13 yen for wind, further cost reductions are expected in the future. This is expected to enable an annual reduction of 10 billion tons of CO₂ by 2050.

The Worldwatch Institute says that intergovernmental collaboration is essential for these climate change measures, and that cooperation within an international framework is required. The report emphasizes the need for governments, industry, and citizens to act together to ensure both future economic growth and sustainability, with particular emphasis on the role of developed countries.