World Population Day 2011: The 7 Billion Actions Campaign by UNFPA

As the world population approaches 7 billion, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, launches a global initiative on Monday 11th of July to highlight the challenges, opportunities and actions that will shape our common future.

World Population Day, 11 July, is the start of a worldwide advocacy effort that will continue through 31 October, when the United Nations projects world population will surpass 7 billion, and beyond. The 7 Billion Actions campaign will promote dialogue on what it means to live in a world with so many people and encourage action on issues that affect us all. UNFPA offices and their partners throughout the world will organize a variety of related activities.

A world of 7 billion is a challenge: Globally, population has doubled since 1968 and grown by almost 40 per cent since reaching 5 billion in 1987, an event that led to the first World Population Day. Growth will continue at least until mid-century despite dramatic declines in the average number of children per woman, according to the UN Population Division. Source: Go Green

With the worldwide population expected to exceed seven billion in 2011, National Geographic magazine offers a 7-part series examining specific challenges and solutions to the issues we face. The magazine introduces the series with its January cover story "7 Billion," offering a broad overview of demographic trends that got us to today and will impact us all tomorrow. The first in-depth story will appear in the March issue, focusing on humans' impact on the planet's geology. Other stories will follow throughout 2011.