Global Scans · Population · Weekly Summary

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WHAT'S NEXT?: The global population is expected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030, up 1 billion from 2016. Western economies are declining in numbers and emerging economies witnessing burgeoning growth.

• [New] The Japanese health system faces a current and enduring challenge due to inherent vulnerability in health financing as a result of growing fiscal deficit in the context of a rapidly growing ageing population, increased social expenditure, and a lower funding base. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The Japanese health system is expected to face ongoing pressures due to a growing fiscal deficit in light of population ageing and increased social security payments. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Adults aged 65 and older will comprise 22% of the U.S. population by 2030. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Global digital wallet users are projected to reach 5.2 billion by 2026, representing over 60% of the global population. CoinLaw
• [New] The global mobile wallet user base is forecasted to reach 4.3 billion in 2025, surpassing half the world's population. CoinLaw
• [New] With the population of over-65s projected to rise sharply over the next decade, maintaining free travel benefits without proper checks could become financially unsustainable. stcnorthgolf.com
• [New] The revised migration intake could increase Australia's working-age population by 1.2% annually over the next two years. Visa And Immigrations
• [New] Creating age-inclusive workplaces will be essential to filling labour shortages and managing an ageing population. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [New] By 2050, 20.3% of SEA's population will be elderly, increasing demand for high-protein dairy products. FoodNavigator-Asia.com
• [New] The WHO South-East Asia Region has a rapidly ageing population with over 10% of its inhabitants over the age of 60 expected to double in the next 30 years. World Health Organization: WHO
• [New] The share of the US population age 65+ is expected to reach 21% by the year 2030. Yahoo Finance
• [New] European healthcare systems are increasingly challenged by sustainability concerns, driven by a rapidly aging population (the proportion of population aged 65 and above is projected to reach nearly 30% by 2050), staff shortages and testing and treatment inefficiencies. DWF
• [New] Smart elder care: Saudi Arabia's demographic population will see its seniors population increasingly supported by AI with ageing in place: remote health alerts, fall predictions, voice controlled medicine reminder and emergency alerting. Top Luxury Property
• [New] Project Jetson is a predictive analytics tool that employs AI to forecast population movements, enabling UNHCR to anticipate and prepare for potential refugee influxes, thereby improving response strategies. United Nations
• [New] Population growth will add further pressure, with Statistics Canada projecting 52.5 million residents by 2050, nearly 5% higher than assumptions in previous energy studies. Canadian Nuclear Association
• [New] Over the next few decades, the population of older adults is expected to significantly increase across the world. PubMed Central (PMC)
• By 2029, nearly 49.1% of the global population (3.9 billion people) will shop online, fueled by internet access and mobile growth. Enhencer.com
• The number of online shoppers is expected to grow from 2.71 billion in 2024 to 2.77 billion by 2025, covering 34% of the global population. Enhencer.com
• By 2028, 50% of the global population 14 and older will be online shoppers. Shopify
• By 2050, the global population is projected to increase by 38.6%, driving a 33.3% rise in global meat consumption (Gu et al. 2023). PubMed Central (PMC)
• The population of Australia is predicted to increase due to changes in net migration and natural change, standing at a total of 32.1 million citizens by 2040. Euromonitor
• Hypertension represents one of the most common and potent cardiovascular risk factors globally, affecting approximately 31% of the adult population worldwide (1.4 billion people), including nearly 50% of U.S. adults. American College of Cardiology

Last updated: 16 October 2025