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Transcript: Global Consumption Trends

Right now there are about 6 billion people in the world and by 2050 we'll have 50% more. We'll have 9-10 billion. Right now about a third of the people in the world have no access to commercial energy whatsoever. No electricity, no oil, no gas. They basically forage for wood and dung and whatever they can get that'll burn. That's a third of the people in the world. Two billion people. Most of the population growth in the world -- those trajectories are set -- 90% of the world population growth will occur in the poorest nations. These are the nations without electricity. So if we're not careful, we'll end up with 5-6 billion people in the world without electricity; therefore, without communication; therefore, without any access to economic development as we understand it. Those are the prerequisites to economic development -- electricity and communication.