Overpopulation cited as "serious threat" in Bertelsmann Report

13th December 2007 

A major report published in December 2007 by the Bertelsmann Foundation, a German research institute, polled the opinions of 9000 respondents in United States, Russia, Japan, Germany, UK, France, India and Brazil. The report seeks to reveal popular perceptions of global discourse and ideas concerning “Who Rules the World”, as the Foundation put it in the title of the report. 

Within the discussions that examine the perceived global super powers of today and the future, the respondents positioned overpopulation as the fourth most serious threat faced by the world today, following climate change, terrorism and poverty.  

Which global threats predominate in people's views vary from country to country. The concerns about overpopulation and poverty were recorded to be higher in India, while Russians cite the dangers of war, the Chinese resource scarcity and the French religious fundamentalism.

The researchers spearheading this report say that they want to measure current perceptions in global power politics but also to assess how the public foresees the near future and its most pressing issues.

PSN acknowledges the critical importance of the views of civil society and welcomes this report which cites overpopulation as a major global concern.