**Global Population to Peak at 10.8 Billion Before Decline: UN Report**
*By Snehil Singh | Sep 30, 2025, 05:08 pm*
The global population is projected to rise until around the year 2080, reaching a peak of approximately 10.8 billion people, before starting to decline, according to a recent United Nations report. By 2100, the world’s population could shrink by nearly 100 million from this peak.
### Declining Birth Rates in Developed Nations
The expected population decline is anticipated to be most pronounced in wealthy, developed countries. Factors such as increased education and rights for women are influencing family planning decisions, leading to falling birth rates.
Sociologist Stuart Gietel-Basten from Hong Kong University, speaking to *Nature*, highlighted that low fertility rates reflect “broken systems and broken institutions” that hinder individuals from having their desired family size. He described this demographic shift as a “real crisis.”
Economic considerations also contribute to this trend, with rising living costs making the prospect of parenthood less appealing for many people.
### Social Implications and Challenges
The potential global population decline raises important questions about the sustainability of social programs, especially those supporting the elderly. Some have controversially proposed taxing individuals who choose not to have children to help offset these impacts.
However, experts caution against punitive approaches. They emphasize the need for systemic changes that support family planning choices and strive to maintain a balanced global population.
### Progressive Solutions to Address the ‘Crisis’
Experts interviewed by *Nature* recommend implementing more progressive social policies to counteract declining birth rates. These include measures such as paid parental leave, reducing childcare costs, and eliminating child poverty.
Rebecca Zerzan, senior editor of the UN Population Fund’s *State of World Population* report, stressed that adopting such policies would result in “people who are happier, healthier, and able to pursue education alongside work.”
As nations prepare for demographic shifts, these strategies may prove essential in creating societies where individuals can thrive personally and economically while contributing to a stable population future.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/world/world-population-will-decline-by-100m-before-year-2100-un/story
