IN THIS age of environmental anxiety, it is tempting to believe that the root of the Earth鈥檚 troubles is actually very simple: too many people. All our other problems would melt away, if only the population were reduced.
Intuitive 鈥� but wrong. When populations go into decline, economies follow. And a healthy economy is required to solve our myriad environmental challenges (see Population: Europe鈥檚 problems will grow as it shrinks).
There is a middle way: 鈥渄emographic sustainability鈥�. This is all about creating both environmental and economic sustainability with a falling, ageing population. It involves fine-tuning fertility to keep populations level or in slow decline. Critically, it also means basing success on stability 鈥� recognising that economic growth at all costs, not population growth, is the real root of all evil.
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