Global population growth hits lowest rate since 1950

The global population grew by less than 1 per cent a year for the first time since the aftermath of the second world war in 2020 and 2021 with Europe’s total population actually falling during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a UN report.

The populations of 61 countries are forecast to decrease by at least 1 per cent between 2022 and 2050, and the associated low fertility rates will also combine with better healthcare to…