Rising growth and longevity have led to booming populations worldwide.

In 2011, the world crossed an impressive milestone, with the total human population estimated by the United Nations exceeding 7 billion individuals. As global growth continues and people live progressively longer thanks to new advancements in medical technology, the population continues to grow, to the point that, in only a little over a decade, we’ve broken yet another milestone.

As of today, according to a new UN report, there are now over 8 billion humans living on Earth. According to the UN’s estimates, growth will slowly slightly in the next few years, meaning that, barring any major catastrophes, we will reach a global population of 9 billion in about 15 years’ time.

According to Jack Goldstone, a professor of public policy at George Mason University, the blooming human population highlights the importance of global coexistence and cooperation. “I think what’s important about 8 billion is that we’re going to be connected, and so we have to get used to the idea that what happens in other places will directly affect our quality of life here,” he said in an interview with NPR.

Gladstone added that the Earth could continue to sustain humanity even if our population exceeds 10 billion, provided that we maintain awareness of “what people are doing, how they live and which specific areas or groups are growing the fastest.”

In an opinion piece sent to USA Today, UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the growing population won’t mean much if longstanding grudges and divisions are not settled. “Divisions are causing delays and deadlock on issues from nuclear disarmament to terrorism to global health,” he wrote. “But I never bet against human ingenuity, and I have enormous faith in human solidarity.”