World Will Miss Economic Benefit of 1.8 Billion Young People

As the population hits the 7 billion mark, the world contemplates the challenges in providing adequate education, jobs and other opportunities for growing numbers of youth. The largest cohort of youth in the world’s history can represent great potential or missed opportunities. A UN report warns that the potential economic benefits of having such a large global population of young people could go unfulfilled, reports Fiona Harvey for the Guardian. “With high population growth, many scientists predict that the pressure on food and agricultural productivity and other natural resources may become intolerable, and conditions for the poorest people will deteriorate further.” About 1.8 billion are 10 to 24 years of age, 90 percent of them based in the developing world, notes Harvey. The executive director of the UN Population Fund urges developing nations to tackle poverty by taking responsibility for family planning and relying less on donor nations for funding support. – YaleGlobal