Global birthrates are declining, leading to a diminishing population of children worldwide
The decline in birth rates that started in post-World War II Europe has now spread globally over decades.
Multiple nations are experiencing this downward trend, with more deaths than births each year.
Recently, Japan lost nearly a million people, Poland 130,000.
The most significant impact is in China, home to a sixth of the world’s population.
China’s long-term population impact from the one-child policy has caused the country, a historical population leader, to decline.
China has acknowledged its shrinking population, but experts believe it has been declining for nearly a decade.
The official figure of 1.44 billion people by the Chinese government is likely an exaggeration, with some estimating it to be up to 130 million people off.
While India has surpassed China in population, its growth is slowing.
<aside class="single__inline-module aligncenter"> </aside>In 2021, the average Indian woman was having only two children, below the 2.25 needed to sustain the population.
This trend of declining birth rates is also evident across Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.
Current total fertility rates in some regions, like Tunisia, are below replacement levels.
This decline in birth rates marks the first time in human history that we are not producing enough offspring to replace ourselves. Donald Trump even proposed free IVF treatments to boost birth rates.
Despite population growth due to longer life spans, there will come a time when this momentum will cease, leading to a decline in human numbers.
For the first time since the Middle Ages’ Black Death, global population numbers are projected to shrink.
The Bubonic Plague of the 14th century was a devastating pandemic that killed a significant portion of the population. However, the high birth rates following this event allowed for recovery.
Unfortunately, the declining birth rates we currently face may not see a similar recovery due to various factors affecting fertility.
Many international organizations, like the UN Population Fund and the World Bank, have downplayed the birth dearth.
These agencies, established during the overpopulation scare of the 1960s, often inflate birth rates in one country while manipulating population numbers in others.
For example, the UN’s World Population Prospects claim 705,000 babies were born in Colombia last year, despite the country reporting only 510,000 births.
Inaccurate statistics like these contribute to misconceptions about global fertility rates and population trends.
The population control agenda is driven by financial and political motivations, exaggerating human numbers and fertility rates.
The global total fertility rate, according to the UN, is still above replacement levels, but this figure is contested by many.
Sex-selective abortions in countries like China and India necessitate higher birth rates to offset the gender imbalance.
It’s time to reevaluate the fear-based narrative on population growth and address the declining birth rates with real solutions.
Steven W. Mosher is the president of the Population Research Institute and the author of “The Devil and Communist China” (Tan Books).
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