Population Paradox: Are Declining Birth Rates Good or Bad for the World?

As birth rates decline and life expectancies increase, some regions are now experiencing a net decrease in population, leaving us to question whether that’s good or bad for the world. Stephanie Feldstein of the Center for Biological Diversity and John Ibbitson, author of the Empty Planet unravel the layers of this population paradox and its implications on society, the global economy, and the environment.

Reading List: 

• Population Decline Will Change the World for the Better, Stephanie Feldstein, Scientific American, May 4, 2023 

• Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline, Darrell Bricker & John Ibbitson, Crown, February 5, 2019 

• The Climate Baby Dilemma, Documentary, 2022