In November 2022, the world crossed a milestone of 8 billion people, but a new analysis suggests the global population could peak just below 9 billion people in 2050 then start falling. The new projection is significantly lower than several prominent population estimates, including those of the United Nations. The researchers go further to say that if the world takes a "Giant Leap" in investment in economic development, education and health then global population could peak at 8.5 billion people by the middle of the century. The new projections by researchers from the Earth4All initiative for the Global Challenges Foundation is published as a working paper titled "People and Planet: 21st Century Sustainable Population Scenarios and Possible Living Standards Within Planetary Boundaries."