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AIBU?

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AIBU to think population growth is unsustainable with climate change?

66 replies

Metalmotha · 30/07/2026 18:57

To think that people surely must be starting to understand we can’t keep building more houses, we need to reduce the amount of people here and the rest of Europe. We simply cannot support a growing population

With climate change we just haven’t got the resources, less ran means less water which then affects everything from milk yields to quantity of grain as harvests are earlier.,

Theres going to be increasing areas which are uninhabitable due to frequent fires or rising water levels. We need to stop this idea we need a pyramid scheme of population. Numbers of children need limiting, we need to be very highly selective over who comes into the country and look at both our immigration and refugee policy. The people who are here need to be more productive.

We need to ration water hungry technology, we need to limit imports and encourage a repair and reuse rather that shopping addicted society. Consumer laws should be a lot stronger regarding how long things should last.

OP posts:
11AndCounting · 30/07/2026 19:21

RodneyKitten · 30/07/2026 19:18

Is it?

Neither the world nor the UK population is currently in decline - however, the birth rate is so low (globally and in the UK), that it is expected to start declining.

The UK's population is likely to peak then start declining in the middle of the century, before the global population starts to decline towards the end of the century.

NotOnYourEllie · 30/07/2026 19:21

Metalmotha · 30/07/2026 19:16

And people coming into the country.

Immigration won't have a big effect on climate change though, as there would be no change to the global population.

Do you mean that if someone moved from a developing country where an average person's carbon footprint is lower, moved here and enjoyed the same life that we do, it would increase their carbon footprint?

I think the government and previous governments have been trying to prevent immigration, but i have to admit I haven't seen this^^ argument before.

RodneyKitten · 30/07/2026 19:18

Is it?

Frequency · 30/07/2026 19:18

Metalmotha · 30/07/2026 19:15

So we can stop building houses then. I’m not talking globally, I’m taking uk and Western Europe - we cannot sustain

We can stop building houses when we stop letting people use them as income (air B n B/foriegn investment, etc).

RodneyKitten · 30/07/2026 19:18

risingup · 30/07/2026 19:14

The population is declining, thankfully

UK?

Metalmotha · 30/07/2026 19:18

minipie · 30/07/2026 19:13

I am delighted the birth rate is slowing for exactly this reason - the world cannot cope with this level of population let alone more.

Yes economically it is going to require readjustment from the current “constant growth” mentality and pyramid scheme approach to tax and public spending.

But some economic readjustment pain is a lesser evil than the world’s ecosystems being completely ruined.

Exactly

OP posts:
Metalmotha · 30/07/2026 19:16

NotOnYourEllie · 30/07/2026 19:11

This^^

Birth rate is not really a big issue in the UK. I assume that's what you mean by controlling population size - control the birth rate?

And people coming into the country.

OP posts:
Metalmotha · 30/07/2026 19:15

Pashazade · 30/07/2026 19:09

The birth rate is already dropping globally and is rapidly becoming an issue in some places due to aging population so I don’t think you need to worry.

So we can stop building houses then. I’m not talking globally, I’m taking uk and Western Europe - we cannot sustain

OP posts:
OneDearWasp · 30/07/2026 19:15

The birthrate in many countries is well below replacement levels already. Population of China has already started to fall and is predicted to halve in less than 100 years.

World population is predicted to peak in 2084 and start declining thereafter.

NotOnYourEllie · 30/07/2026 19:15

risingup · 30/07/2026 19:14

The population is declining, thankfully

Ah, thank you for clarifying

risingup · 30/07/2026 19:14

The population is declining, thankfully

minipie · 30/07/2026 19:13

I am delighted the birth rate is slowing for exactly this reason - the world cannot cope with this level of population let alone more.

Yes economically it is going to require readjustment from the current “constant growth” mentality and pyramid scheme approach to tax and public spending.

But some economic readjustment pain is a lesser evil than the world’s ecosystems being completely ruined.

NotOnYourEllie · 30/07/2026 19:12

RodneyKitten · 30/07/2026 19:11

Yet the population is growing.

Yes, because people are living longer? Birth rate is dropping but people are not dying as early as they did in previous generations, ergo a big, ageing population. There is no ethical way to stop people living "too long"

RodneyKitten · 30/07/2026 19:11

Pashazade · 30/07/2026 19:09

The birth rate is already dropping globally and is rapidly becoming an issue in some places due to aging population so I don’t think you need to worry.

Yet the population is growing.

NotOnYourEllie · 30/07/2026 19:11

Pashazade · 30/07/2026 19:09

The birth rate is already dropping globally and is rapidly becoming an issue in some places due to aging population so I don’t think you need to worry.

This^^

Birth rate is not really a big issue in the UK. I assume that's what you mean by controlling population size - control the birth rate?

Pashazade · 30/07/2026 19:09

The birth rate is already dropping globally and is rapidly becoming an issue in some places due to aging population so I don’t think you need to worry.