having babies despite the state of the world

[TruthOnTrial]

I am wondering about any that are contemplating pregnancy at a time when the world weather is in crisis, fires ranging out of control across Aus, also california, and others. Floods regularly now around the UK, tornados even and more extreme weather generally, a summer just gone with record heatwave temps.

Many are making a decision to not start a family as the continuing viability of life on earth is ever more unsure.

Half a billion animals killed in the Aus fires alone. People having to lock themselves indoors and residents considering leaving Aus for good.

Is it U to consider bringing future children into this?

I wouldn't contemplate having children now. Yanbu.

Personally, I decided long ago that it would be wrong to do this. The human race has made itself undeserving of the planet on which it lives.

It’s a major worry. DH and I have been considering starting a family for several years, but it does feel like an awfully selfish thing to do, to bring a child into such a turbulent world as it currently stands. Also, with another Tory government just into power, who’s to say if there will even be a healthcare service to care for my child and I in future?

residents considering leaving Aus for good

As in Australians? I find that hard to believe.

Not to dismiss anything else you’ve said, but I’ve seen a few posts mentioning an expected mass migration from Australia. Many of us have no other nationality so I’m not sure where we’re meant to be going?

Totally regret having children, don’t understand why anyone would consider having them when world is such a mess. Not a great future ahead.

If we don't have children and bring them up to care about the world and other people then yes, we are in trouble. But the only way to make things better is to bring new people into the world who are committed to change and grow up valuing other people, kindness, etc. I hope my child will be part of the solution, not part of the problem

There have been crisis times in the past though. What about during the world wars or in the 60s when total annihilation by nuclear bomb seemed imminent? I'm not saying climate change isn't a massive worry, but I don't think it will stop people having babies in general. Of course your own personal decision may be affected.

YANBU I would not contemplate even bringing children into this world. The world is far too overpopulated, we don’t need more people.

Inthebleak.
As in Australians? I find that hard to believe

Not to dismiss anything else you’ve said, but I’ve seen a few posts mentioning an expected mass migration from Australia.

Me too. I said it on the basis that I've heard residents of Aus saying they want to emigrate, threads on MN, and elsewhere, thats its becoming uninhabitable, as are some islands, and other parts of the world already.

Many are making a decision to not start a family as the continuing viability of life on earth is ever more unsure.

How many? Do you have a link?

Agree with the previous poster: I do understand the concern about the climate emergency and general political turbulence but this seems a bit hysterical. Although I do find it extremely frustrating how little the political and business establishment wants to engage with climate change I think sometimes the movement doesn't do itself any favours with hyperbole like this: it leaves ordinary people feeling overwhelmed and passive and that they can't do anything other than retreat somewhere to cry about the polar icecaps.

You could apply the logic about not having children to more or less every decade of the 20th century (fascism in the 30s/WW2 in the 40s etc). There are always crises, atrocities etc. The solution isn't just to retreat into handwringing.

Also while its totally sensible to think about the impact of a large family on the environment, surely if everyone stopped having children our chances of dealing with the climate emergency would actually be diminished?

I also have wondered about children being the solution, but if humans left the world entirely, by declining numbers rather than dying in its fires without human activity the world and the rest of nature would recover and come back into balance.

I also considered the fact there are always worldwide concerns about the future, for vaeious reasons, but not ever the continued future of earth, or viability of life on earth long term.

Many places the climate changes have killed already. Our pollution just in the uk is killing children and has been for years.

This is about action, not hang-wringing populist MN commentary

Me and husband also discuss this a lot. What world would they come into.

So your solution is the end of the human race?

I didn't think of this at all when deciding whether to try for children, and I don't imagine most people did either.

if humans left the world entirely ... without human activity the world and the rest of nature would recover and come back into balance.
Is there any evidence for this?

Yet here we all are, posting on Mumsnet!

The world has always been awful. We are actually living in one of the safest time periods.

Having a child can be seen as selfish. But what’s the alternative? For me my life would seem empty and unfulfilling without DD. If children are not important to you than I can see why you would chose not to for environmental purposes.

Having two or less children and being conscious of plastic use, carbon footprint etc. is enough for me.

I never understand why people consider the continued existence of the human race as an inherently good thing. While we exist, we are making other species extinct at an alarming rate. It would be better if we died off, let everything else recover, and perhaps in a few million years we would re-evolve and have another chance.

My grandad said to my mum there has always been these kinds of threats even when he was growing up, from world wars (he was in the navy, by subscription), to the cold war etc... Humans have a drive to persist, and I think that's what drives us. There has always been vulnerability and global issues to be worried about.

I agree with a pp. Have children and teach them about our world and how to care for it.
They can learn about our world and the impact of human activity, both positive and negative. They can help to heal the planet and move things in the right direction.

People will always make excuses.
Many people believe their personal right to have children trumps everything, including
a) the child's right to a decent life
b) other people's right to access services and resources
c) the right of animals and the overall environment

There’s always something to worry about. From the plague onwards.
Not convinced the answer is to not have any children unilaterally.

There have always been 'threats and risks' to humanity, but we're talking potentially having children that will suffer death from an environment no longer able to sustain them, the earth is the risk.

Children are dying already. So many children are suffering the effects. Its no life for a child having to be locked indoors because of the very real risk of death from the air and heat outside your door!

When does the line get drawn?