The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

The Baby Bust: How The Toxicity Crisis Could Cause the Next Economic Crash with Jeremy Grantham

Dec 11, 2024

Jeremy Grantham, co-founder of GMO and environmental advocate, dives into alarming trends in fertility rates and their broader implications. He discusses how endocrine disruptors are impacting human reproduction and economic stability. Grantham emphasizes the urgent need to address toxicity in our environments and the potential economic fallout from population decline, especially in aging societies. He calls for a shift to non-toxic materials and renewable energy to safeguard human health and future generations.

01:47:40

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Jeremy Grantham

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Quick takeaways

Increasing exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals significantly affects fertility rates, posing risks to both individual and population health.

Demographic shifts in industrialized nations, particularly declining birth rates, threaten economic stability due to an aging population and a shrinking workforce.

Addressing environmental toxicity and corporate practices is essential for a sustainable future, necessitating a drastic shift towards kinder capitalism and innovative solutions.

Deep dives

Toxicity and Its Impact on Fertility

Humans are increasingly exposed to a range of toxic substances that have detrimental effects on health, particularly fertility. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals, prevalent in everyday products—from food packaging to pesticides—interfere with hormonal balance, leading to declines in sperm counts and fertility rates. This issue is gaining recognition as significant drops in fertility are observed not only in humans but across various species, indicating a potential crisis point for future generations. Research funded by prominent experts reveals that these toxic exposures could be fundamentally altering reproductive health patterns, with alarming implications for population sustainability.

Intro

4min

The Crisis of Declining Fertility

15min

Demographic Shifts and Economic Challenges

15min

Fertility Crisis: Unraveling the Decline

8min

Toxicity and its Reproductive Impact

24min

Exploring the Link Between Sperm Count and Health

2min

Endocrine Disruptors and Human Health

5min

Addressing Environmental Toxicity: Challenges and Strategies

2min

The Toxicity Dilemma: Regulation and Resistance

5min

10.

The Challenges of Degrowth and Sustainability

22min

11.

Embracing Renewable Energy and Chemical Toxicity

6min

(Conversation recorded on November 5th, 2024)

It is no secret that population dynamics significantly impact global stability. But what’s really behind today’s shifting global birth trends, the increased need for medically-assisted pregnancy, and the changing age demographics of industrialized nations? Furthermore, what are the implications of these shifts for future economic security?

Today, Nate is joined by investment strategist Jeremy Grantham to discuss the critical but underreported issues surrounding toxicity and public health – particularly endocrine disruptors and their impact on human fertility, longevity, and societal structures.

In this important conversation, Jeremy highlights the ubiquitousness of toxicity in our modern environments, the cultural and economic factors contributing to declining fertility rates, and the urgent need to transition to non-toxic materials and energy sources.

In what ways could population decline pose serious economic challenges, particularly in aging societies? How might the alarming drop in sperm count affect future policies on immigration? Finally, how can we detoxify both our environments – and capitalism – before it’s too late?

About Jeremy Grantham:

Jeremy Grantham co-founded GMO in 1977 and is a member of GMO’s Asset Allocation team, serving as the firm’s long-term investment strategist. He is a member of the GMO Board of Directors, a partner of the firm, and has also served on the investment boards of several non-profit organizations. Additionally in 1989, Jeremy co-founded the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment. Prior to GMO’s founding, Mr. Grantham was co-founder of Batterymarch Financial Management in 1969 where he recommended commercial indexing in 1971, one of several claims to being first. He began his investment career as an economist with Royal Dutch Shell. Mr. Grantham earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Sheffield (U.K.) and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is a member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, holds a CBE from the UK and is a recipient of the Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy.

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