Is it true that having fewer babies would be good for the planet?

First, a fall in the number of children per woman would not have an immediate impact on demographic growth (or decrease). This is because many females in countries with high fertility have already reached child-bearing age. 

Second, over the long term a substantial fall in fertility would imply population aging, confronting the world population with substantial problems such as how to continue funding health care and retirement pensions. 

Last, a fall in population does not ensure a fall in consumption. For world fertility to continue falling, conditions in relatively undeveloped countries would have to improve in such a way as to bring about a rise in those countries’ consumption levels.

Source : Jacques Véron, 2022, Parlons démographie en 30 questions, La Documentation française.

Online: November 2022