AIBU The global fertility crisis is the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced?

[plantsdieinmyhouse]

We’re in a ‘global fertility crisis’.

I’m astounded that global (even UK/European) fertility decline to below the replacement rate of 2.1 (thought to have happened now) isn’t in the forefront of most people’s radar. There are barely even any politicians acknowledging it let alone devising policies to tackle it.

Thee are even people who still think we’re in the 70s/80s/90s and ‘overpopulation’ is still an issue.

Once everyone who’s alone now is dead the human race will be in terminal decline.

Nothing else matters if there’s none of us left!

Even on a personal level a large proportion of women don’t have the number of DCs they expect to.

https://www.thetimes.com/article/43a9bd63-25c9-4941-bc99-fc9f7e42c12a?shareToken=29bf27cb9dafe9af7a006bc25355e411

*total not royal

I think we are forgetting that mass suffering is a result of the concentration of resources in the hands of very few - certainly deranged - people (men). Pretty sure the population could decline gently (or not) with no suffering at all if they would behave.

I’ve never had my point proved so quickly on Mumsnet.

‘fertility’ in the context of demography means ‘the number of births per woman per lifetime’ not ‘ability of one woman to get pregnant’. Sorry for the confusion on that.

Birth rates have fallen so quickly in most countries that pensions & elderly care will no longer be provided by the state in our lifetime. Just think about what that means- your DCs starving & dying in cardboxes on the pavements.

But this is a global problem. Do you realise China’s population will drop to 700m during your DCs life?

Immigration won’t save any country when all countries are declining.

You can’t compare the upcoming drop to 5BN you remember as it will be a disproportionately elderly global population not the disproportionately working age 5BN we had.

All economies are built on the assumption of more workers than dependents. For the first time in human history this won’t be the case & we aren’t prepared for it.

A drop in population is probably a good thing for the planet, however because of how our society is set up, its need for tax payers it will be a difficult transition.

Overpopulation is still very much an issue, even more so because of climate change. If the human race dies out it will more likely be because of that, not infertility. I think we messed up this planet and we're getting what we deserve for it. All the toxins we put in the environment may well be the reason for lower fertility. I would not say YABU though. You feel the way you feel and that's okay. It is a legit concern.

I know @Myrobalanna. We're being lectured about turning the heating up enough to stay warm while the world is being blown to pieces by a few rich men. I hate to imagine what it's doing to the planet

I think the OP is overly sensationalist.

The changing make up of demographics is going to cause issues in lots of counties. Japan is one example that is ahead of the curve there.

For example, in the UK, we probably won’t have enough working people to sustain benefits like the state pension.

But the idea this is a terminal decline is for the birds. Countries will adopt policy to encourage births.

The idea that the current population is sustainable is also not really the case. We are consuming everything. It could easily be a couple of billion less. It will be a bumpy road getting there.

Who do you think proved your point OP? It seems no one agrees with that nonsense 'article' or that the planet needs more humans.

I’ve experienced infertility,never had a child, survived and am now thriving.

All true and it's our own damn fault. What do you suggest we do about it?

It hasn’t proved your point though. Most agree the population going up still causes its own problems.

Which I think you’re overlooking.

There's definitely too many people on the planet & climate change shows that we cannot sustain the population we have now (which is still growing)
A decline in fertility is probably a good thing.

"Birth rates have fallen so quickly in most countries that pensions & elderly care will no longer be provided by the state in our lifetime. Just think about what that means- your DCs starving & dying in cardboxes on the pavements."

🙄

Can I cynically point out that if the population decline were to be reversed, there would be more of us dying in unpleasant circumstances in future, because of massive and seemingly intractable inequality and climate change. Not that it doesn't matter that there are fewer people heading for that fate potentially, but rather: we need to sort out wealth distribution and the environment. Those are the issues, not how many kids a woman chooses not to have.

But you can’t just keep expanding and expanding the population to keep propping up the higher amount of aging people. You run out of resources. Food space clean safe water.

Then as expected people turn on people more than we currently have fighting for what little there is left or you let the balance work itself out where there is a few years of oh shit old people cost more than they ever paid without enough younger to fully fund and then a new normal begins.

Yes, there could be measures like the province of Quebec here in Canada did when they noticed falling birthrates decades ago. They started giving out bonuses for each child and huge child tax credits.

Exactly.

Yup. This! The OP only wants to hear one side.

The world would be a much nicer place without humans.
We have single handedly ruined this beautiful planet and caused untold suffering and misery to other humans and animals.

Personally my lack of children has saved at least 9,000 tonnes of CO2. And presumably because I don't have children, each generation without my direct descendants saves another 9,000 tonnes of CO2.

I'm happy with that.

Well life has shrunk recently I wouldn't have children in this time I'm sad enough that my 12 year old won't remember things as they were my 16 year old has fuzzy memories of fields and affordable subway sandwiches my adult daughter isn't having children she was put off by the school and their robot baby program I can't see her changing her mind

Basically we are reaping what we have sown there are no real jobs no job security no housing security leisure is expensive I used to have an annual pass that was £55 a year reasonable food and a good day out now it's £255 a year and costs a fortune for a few chips so it's a struggle to take children for fun days out no-one wants to colour in their entire childhood you can't play out it's not safe backyards are tiny and neighbours complain the fun has gone

What is actually the issue to worry about with there being less people? I can only think of good things

The rich countries with too few working age folk will go the poorer countries and offer incentives to come work there. All the anti-immigration will be reversed again in the UK.

Humanity is ruining the planet. Why are you so keen on keeping that going indefinitely?

Yes I think this when I think of Trumpian America

We’re also going to be in a water deficit…