The effect of two billion more people

Environment and development

March 31, 2025

Richard Grossman

Are population policies still relevant in an era of climate change?

Climate change is caused much more by generalized pursuit of throughput growth and the consumption patterns of the wealthy than by population growth. Structural changes would be needed in global ... Read more

Caring for ageing parents reduces fertility intentions in Australia

Ester Lazzari and Valeria Zurla examine how taking on the role of caregiver for a parent influences the expectation to have children. Using prospective data from the Australian HILDA survey, ... Read more

Today’s high paternal ages at childbirth are not exceptionally high

Recently, mean paternal ages at childbirth have risen sharply. This has alarmed researchers from a wide range of fields as offspring of older fathers have higher health risks. However, existing ... Read more

Intimate partner violence and low birth weight in Colombia

Stefania Molina’s research reveals that, in Colombia, separated and cohabiting mothers experience higher levels of intimate partner violence during pregnancy than married mothers. Disparities in low birth weight across partnership ... Read more

Heterogeneity in realization of short-term fertility intentions across Europe

The realization of fertility intentions varies greatly across Europe. Zsolt Spéder and Lajos Bálint find that labour market stability, low inflation, strong welfare state involvement, and cultural attitudes emphasizing the ... Read more

Are grandparents happier? Family ties and depression in later life

Are grandchildren beneficial to mental health in old age? Using advanced statistical techniques and data from 160,000 individuals across Europe, Elisa Brini and Francesca Zanasi challenge this common belief: family ... Read more

Did you know?

World population, 1950-2100

According to the last United Nations projections the world’s population is expected to reach a peak of around 10.3 billion people in the mid-2080s, up from 8.2 billion in 2024. After peaking, it is projected to decline gradually, falling to 10.2 billion people by the end of the century.

Source: United Nation, World Population Prospects 2024

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N-IUSSP is a new IUSSP news magazine, which will disseminate scientific findings from demographic research carried out all over the world. The practical implications of current trends, the risks and potentialities of emerging situations, the pros and cons of specific laws are discussed in rigorous but plain language.

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