The World in 2030

20 The World in 2030
Needless to say, plastic piping and containers will have a
huge role to play in the conservation of increasingly precious
fresh water.
Societal Demography
The age make-up of the world’s population is changing dramatically
and the effects of this will be very apparent by 2030.
In 2006, nearly 500 million people worldwide were
65 or older. By 2030, according to a US government report, 20
the total is projected to double to one billion – one in every
eight people on the planet. The fastest increases in those 65
and older are occurring in developing countries, which will
see a jump in those populations of 140 per cent by 2030.
But although developing countries will see the greatest
percentage increase in their elderly populations it is the
European nations that are predicted to suffer most economic
pressures from low birthrates and ageing populations. 21
However, it is unsafe to assume that all the ageing
European societies of 2030 will have trouble supporting
their elderly populations. Three changes to our societies are
likely to prevent this. The first is that people will work longer,
the second is that there will continue to be massive waves of
immigration of young people from the less developed world
into the most developed countries and the third is that
accelerating technological innovation will increase wealth
rapidly in the most highly developed societies (although
some of this new wealth is likely to be eaten up in efforts to
tackle and adapt to climate change).