Climate and demography are becoming two of the most interconnected issues in the 21st century. And citizens across the world are more concerned about climate issues than ever.
At the same time, the world population continues to grow rapidly, home to eight billion people in 2022, compared to just one billion in 1800.
It is well known that human activities negatively affect climate dynamics, and according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the situation will continue to worsen in the coming years.
With this deep connection between human population and climate, we must better understand the linkages between rising population growth and climate change.
Decreasing infant mortality and extreme poverty rates, increasing life expectancy, as well as urbanization have contributed to the growing human population. In turn, this has led to the increased consumption of resources, many of which are finite.
Moreover, humans are now consuming more and more resources for their well-being, a phenomenon that has taken on a whole new dimension with globalization since 1990.
Whereas previously, high consumer spending was largely confined to Europe and America, currently Middle East, East Asia and South Asia people also have high consumer spending, according to Statista.
The impact of population growth varies by region. Depending on the country, increasing population growth can present significantly different challenges.
For instance, because the ecological footprint in developed countries like Germany or Singapore is very high compared to developing countries such as Mozambique or Colombia, increasing population rates in developed countries have more impacts than in developing countries.
According to the World Population Review, the current ecological footprint of Germany is 4.70, whereas that of Mozambique is 0.80, meaning German people have an ecological impact almost six times higher than someone in Mozambique.
However, increasing population can also be highly beneficial in some countries. In the case of Italy, considered as the West’s fastest-shrinking nation, increasing the birth rate for population growth is already essential for the sustainability of Italian society.
Cultural and/or religious aspects can also impact whether people have children or not. Indeed, in some cultures or religious beliefs, having children is seen as very important. For some, having a big family is socially well-regarded, and for others, it brings “rezeki/fortunes,” as in the Muslim world.
Despite the linkage between population increase and ecological impact, children play an important role in sustainable societies.
According to Our World in Data, the increase in population is expected to stop at the end of the 21st century and stabilize at around 10.5 billion, so the world population will not grow indefinitely.
Because a population will start to decrease if a society has fewer than 2.1 kids per woman (population thresholds), children are essential for sustainable societies.
Moreover, studies observe that the younger generation seems to be more aware of environmental issues and sustainability in general. Having more children nowadays might therefore lead to having a “green workforce” for the future where people are eager to take action on climate change and make societies more sustainable.
The impact of having children on the planet is a multifaceted issue, influenced by factors such as demographics, climate change, socio-economic status and cultural beliefs.
While reducing childbirth may seem like a solution to the climate crisis, it overlooks the essential role children play in sustaining societies.
Instead, the focus should be on achieving a balance between population growth and environmental sustainability, while fostering a culture of responsibility and innovation.
Children have the potential to be agents of positive change in the fight against climate change. Thus, the key lies in finding equilibrium, where humanity and the planet can coexist harmoniously.
Israruddin, Moch Ridwan and Alexandre Desmyttere are respectively Manager, Assistant Manager and Partnerships Intern at Sustainable Development Solutions Network Southeast Asia, a non-profit organization created by the United Nations