The World Counts (2024)

FAQs

What resources will run out by 2050? ›

Gold and other elements will run out by 2050

According to him, “in this scenario it is possible that the reserves of some of these elements will be exhausted in 2050 — such as gold and antimony — or in less than 100 years — in the case of molybdenum and zinc.”

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We do not produce any original information but rely on data from a large number of organizations, research institutions, news services etc. We aim to use data from respected and well known organizations.

Conclusion: how long will fossil fuels last? It is predicted that we will run out of fossil fuels in this century. Oil can last up to 50 years, natural gas up to 53 years, and coal up to 114 years. Yet, renewable energy is not popular enough, so emptying our reserves can speed up.

The world population could be too big to feed itself by 2050. By then, there will be almost 10 billion people on the planet and food demand will have increased by 70 percent compared to 2017. Scientists put the limit on how many people Earth can feed at 10 billion - max!

But by the 2030s, as temperatures rise, climate hazards are expected to increase all over the globe as different countries face more crippling heat waves, worsening coastal flooding and crop failures, the report says.

The report warns that, by 2040, global temperatures are expected to rise 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, meaning that most people alive today will see the dramatic effects of climate change within their lifetime.

Roughly 1.3 billion years from now, "humans will not be able to physiologically survive, in nature, on Earth" due to sustained hot and humid conditions. In about 2 billion years, the oceans may evaporate when the sun's luminosity is nearly 20% more than it is now, Kopparapu said.

When will we run out of oil? This is unique. It's estimated that known oil-deposits will run out by 2052. Realistically, we may never run out of oil because, given the depth of the Earth's core, there will be new wells to discover.

World Oil Reserves

The world has proven reserves equivalent to 46.6 times its annual consumption levels. This means it has about 47 years of oil left (at current consumption levels and excluding unproven reserves).

This surge in demand, coupled with unpredictable weather patterns and climate change, sets the stage for an expected shortage in 2024.

Is there a food crisis coming? ›

Climate Change

Look no further than two of the US's leading farm regions, the Midwestern corn belt, and California's central valley, to see the effects already being felt. In California, extreme drought conditions are making it nearly impossible for farmers to produce as much as they once did.

The only way we can feed 10 billion people by 2050 is if the farming and food industries become much more sustainable. And that requires changes to the whole model of growing, processing, transporting, storing and selling. It means a lot of businesses and governments need to take action. But so too do we all.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 90 percent of the world's electricity can and should come from renewable energy by 2050.

In 2050, the world will be vastly different from what we know today, as a result of the integration of whole range of technologies, including: quantum computing, metaverse, augmented reality, nanotechnology, human brain-computer interfaces, driverless technology, artificial intelligence, workplace automation, robotics ...

Nonrenewable energy resources include coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear energy. Once these resources are used up, they cannot be replaced, which is a major problem for humanity as we are currently dependent on them to supply most of our energy needs.

Water, agriculture, and air

Phosphorus, which is used for fertilization in modern agriculture, also might see a dwindling supply by as early as 2030, affecting global food supplies. Livable air and environmental quality is also expected to become a scarcer resource than it already is.