We have a problem. A people problem to be precise.

As I have been discussing of late, it is clear the human locusts are overgrazing the planet. We need to slow our breeding.

This is all very well and good, of course, but in order to do that we will shift the age distribution of the population. We live longer.

Based on United Nations projections, global population growth isn’t slowing as fast as we need.

I have sourced these figures from a report prepared for the 2002 World Assembly on Ageing. There is considerable regional and age data available in that report – I have concentrated on a summary view.