On Wednesday, 13 October 1999, BBC News announced the birth of the six billionth baby with the following photograph. UNFPA (2009) had estimated that around 12 October 1999 the sixth billionth child would be born. According to UN symbolism it was a boy born in a clinic in Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, a city scarred by years of war, where the six billionth baby was born in UN Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan's presence. The UN chose as "D6B", the day when humanity passed the symbolic threshold.

FIGURE 5.1: BIRTH OF THE SIX BILLIONTH BABY

It cannot be said with certainty where exactly the six billionth baby was born but the event was significant. On the one hand there was something to be celebrated and on the other hand it was a moment for thinking and acting. We are reaching (or perhaps have already reached) the carrying capacity of earth and there is a need to plan for the future. Here it is important to make a distinction between physical carrying capacity and cultural carrying capacity. One may argue that it will be possible for the earth to sustain more population. The question is: at what level of cultural standards? Are only numbers important and is quality of life not important?