On Monday, the world welcomed its 7 billionth person. The implications of population growth are similarly staggering in number, but here are five of the more important things to know about the growing world community.

There might not be 7 billion of us. Yet.

The October 31st date was chosen by the United Nations Population Fund, and it’s somewhat symbolic. "There is a window of uncertainty of at least six months before and six months after the 31 October date for the world population to reach seven billion," UN population estimates chief Gerhard Heilig told the BBC. However, the crux of the matter—the ever-increasing world population and the problems that come with it—stands.

Human being No. 7,000,000,000 is probably poor—and it's likely the parents didn't plan the pregnancy.

The developing world acted as the engine for most of the last decade's population growth. It’s home to the world’s seven fastest-growing cities, according to Foreign Policy. As such, it’s attracting the attention of policymakers and crystal-ball-gazers alike. Many, like the Worldwatch Institute’s Robert Engelman, propose extending access to contraceptives and encouraging smaller family size to curb population-related problems, though a recent Economist article says that this would only have a modest effect in the face of scarce world resources.

Sure, resource scarcity is a problem, but maybe it doesn’t have to be.

Not all commentators are equally pessimistic about continuing population growth. Some of the most basic problems, like access to food and water, might really be problems of efficiency rather than scarcity. Global Envision contributor Ben Osborn recently wrote about a study by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research that showed that given proper integration and storage of water resources, no one would have to go thirsty. On the food front, a scientific study published in Nature showed that proper agricultural reforms “could increase global food availability by 100–180%,” more than enough to meet the needs of our growing population.

The antidote to population could be migration.

Ensuring good quality of life for the earth’s inhabitants goes beyond just food and water. The UN’s State of the World Population 2011 report identifies migration as a trend that can be used to help aid in economic development. Wealthy countries with declining fertility rates could provide job opportunities for workers disenfranchised in their overpopulated home countries. At the same time, migration is a hot-button issue for developed nations that may not be so keen to open their borders. The report also cites increased access to education as a key factor in reducing population growth and providing better opportunities for youth in developing nations.

Maybe we should all just learn to stop worrying and love the population bomb.

Many fear rapid population growth in a world with limited resources, but given the proper policies it might not have to be so scary. Since there’s no “undo” button for world population, perhaps the best question to ask in light of the 7 billion marker is “How can we make the best of it?”

Want to know where you fit into the 7 billion? Check out The BBC’s “What’s Your Number” tool.

Margo Conner is a senior at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, majoring in international affairs. Read her other contributions to Global Envision.

Crowded slums in Rio de Janeiro provide a stark embodiment of the challenges presented by population growth. Photo: Crystal Davis, World Resource Institute (flickr)

The world’s seven billionth person is more likely than ever to see her fifth birthday, according to Save the Children. But some people might view that as a bad thing.

According the UN, the world population is now past seven billion. That’s got some people worrying about overcrowding and resource scarcity. In the worst case, it may even make them less likely to give aid to those in need.

But Save the Children, a disaster relief and long-term development charity that focuses on children, has a different take: The more children we save, they argue, the smaller the world’s population growth.

In places where child mortality is high, families have more children. “In the poorest countries, where parents are often petrified that their children will die and leave them to fend for themselves, it’s understandable that they would choose to have larger families," according to Brendan Cox of Save the Children. More children can help their parents farm the land, work in the family's small business, and otherwise improve the lot of the poorest of the poor.

But when that fear is mitigated by better income or greater access to aid, family sizes stay small. According to the Save the Children report, the child mortality rate and the global fertility rate have both fallen by more than half since 1970.

And when you have fewer children, you can invest more of your resources into each child, ensuring not only survival, but also success.

So, one way to curb population growth is to keep children alive and thriving.

Ben Osborn is a 2011 graduate of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Read his other contributions to Global Envision.

Mariama Zachary and Akua Azaiz tend to cocoa beans on a drying table in Ghana. Photo: Gates Foundation (flickr)

Food prices are exceeding record highs—prompting policymakers worldwide to take action. A recent meeting of the G-20 agriculture ministers has given reason for hope, but many obstacles to less expensive food remain.

According to the BBC, 44 million people were driven into poverty last year by food price volatility — increasing the risk of conflict and adding to human suffering. Rising food prices also threaten to derail the fragile global economy, acting like an extra tax on consumers, says World Bank head, Robert Zoellick.

"We have been in a period of extraordinary volatility in food prices, which poses a real danger of irreparable harm to the most vulnerable nations and people. High, uncertain and volatile food prices are the single gravest threat facing the most vulnerable in the developing world."

The severity of the crisis has prompted the G-20 and the World Bank to push forward a number of non-contentious initiatives, three of the most important being:

• To reduce the impact of food price variability through loans . Called Agriculture Price Risk Management, the idea is to reduce farmer risk and thereby increase production of staple crops like wheat, rice, corn, and soybeans.
• To reduce food price volatility via information sharing. Known as the Agricultural Market Information System, according to The Wall Street Journal, this initiative encourages collaboration among nations to mitigate the affects of panic buying and export bans (among others), which often exacerbate a food crisis. Click here to observe food price fluctuations around the world.
• Eliminating export restrictions for food aid programs. The G-20 agricultural ministers agreed to abandon export restrictions on food aid bought by the World Food Program, states The Wall Street Journal.

Despite these promising developments, the most contentious issues will be left to future meetings. Of these, three of the most important are:

• The restriction of bio-fuel production. Food production advocates want subsidies eliminated for grains grown for fuel, says the Christian Science Monitor. However, the delegates were unable to reach consensus on reducing farm subsidies for biofuel production.
• Increased regulation of commodity speculators. Derivatives markets played a major role in causing the recent recession, and policymakers around the developed world are passing legislation to mitigate their harmful impact (including on food prices). Policymakers are stepping lightly, afraid over-regulation could stifle production.
• Creation of an African food bank. According to The Christian Science Monitor, member African nations (and international backers) would build up a continental food reserve which could be tapped into when a supply shortage occurs. The risk of underfunding and the politics behind "who pays for what" could prove fatal to this proposal.

Of course, imbalances in population growth and food supply is a major problem too, but that's another story. In general, the G-20 and World Bank's increased focus on food prices has been well-received. "People are hungry for food and for action on a global level," says Robert Zoellick, according to the BBC.

The Nano. Photo: Rajesh Babu (flickr)

If you have $1,979 dollars and live in India, Tata Motors has a car for you.

After a lot of hype, Tata Motors finally released their revolutionary Nano, a tiny, light-bodied vehicle designed and produced in India.

Tata is expecting millions of orders, so they're planning to raffle off the first 100,000 vehicles.

Many are concerned about the safety and environmental implications of a surge in car ownership in India, and whether the country's road system can handle increased traffic.

Speaking about the impact on air pollution, Vivek Chattopadhyaya of the Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi says,“Even if they claim it will be fuel efficient, the sheer numbers will undermine this." (Tata retorts that the typical Indian scooter has higher emissions.)

But of course there are throngs of Indians, such as chauffeur Gopal Pandurag, looking forward to the arrival of a car they can afford.

"My wife is getting old, and she can't do the things she used to when she was younger like sit on a bike or a crowded bus. I just want to be able to take her out for a drive in a car. My own car."