Climate 'apocalypse' fears stopping people having children - study

[marmar]

(Guardian UK) People worried about the climate crisis are deciding not to have children because of fears that their offspring would have to struggle through a climate apocalypse, according to the first academic study of the issue.

The researchers surveyed 600 people aged 27 to 45 who were already factoring climate concerns into their reproductive choices and found 96% were very or extremely concerned about the wellbeing of their potential future children in a climate-changed world. One 27-year-old woman said: “I feel like I can’t in good conscience bring a child into this world and force them to try and survive what may be apocalyptic conditions.”

These views were based on very pessimistic assessments of the impact of global heating on the world, the researchers said. One respondent, for example, said it would “rival world war one in its sheer terror”. The research also found that some people who were already parents expressed regret over having their children.

Having a child also potentially means that person going on to produce a lifetime of carbon emissions that contribute to the climate emergency, but only 60% of those surveyed were very concerned about this carbon footprint. ............(more)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/27/climate-apocalypse-fears-stopping-people-having-children-study

[Croney]

1. No climate-conscious young people in my family I guess.

FIVE babies coming in 2021. Two granddaughters, a niece (twins), and my great-nephew's wife.

It's "the tragedy of the commons." Everybody has a right to graze their cows on the town square even though it's destroying future possibility of anybody grazing their cows.

[2naSalit]

5. +1

[Renew Deal]

2. Isn't this basically the way the idiocracy movie starts?

There was a lot of talk like this after 9/11 and the 2008 meltdown. Climate change is real but this kind of reaction reminds me of the peak oil scares. People should realize that the world will go on either way. It’s possible that humans will figure out the climate change problem or learn to live with it.

[Silent3]

15. That was my first thought too

About Idiocracy, that is. But I don't think any "people should realize" suggestion is going to help.

[handmade34]

3. a reason

I have no grand-children and suspect I will never have grand-children

[Throck]

4. Isn't population control part of the global climate change solution?

Both my kids have decided this will be their contribution to not have children. As the world's population grows so will CO2 production.

[tavernier]

6. My granddaughter says no kids.

She is a super tree hugger but I wonder how that will go after she is married.

[2naSalit]

7. I'm glad to see thtat people are taking this future situation into account...

Having kids just because you have a right to is becoming passe. In my family, I'm surprised and impressed, that of all those in child bearing ages have decided to forego having children for these reasons. Only one has had a child, of four nieces/nephew, and one of the other three adopted a son.

All are educated beyond HS so I suspect that has something to do with it.

[gulliver]

8. If it is significant, goodbye Social Security and Medicare

That money, and even the services it buys are supplied by the young generations.

[ret5hd]

18. Maybe immigration is a good thing.

[gulliver]

24. Sure is, imo.

[beachbumbob]

9. If I was 30yrs old today, I would seriously be thinking of having fewer or no kids as the future

is going to suck big time and I couldn;t in clear conscience leave them to be victims of it. But I am 67 and have 3 kids with adult kids of their own and been preaching hands on experience for everything since day one of fatherhood. Hopefully skillsets will help out when the time comes

[Magoo48]

10. This is damn good news,

not the fear, of course, but the decision to refrain.

[MineralMan]

11. I made that decision in 1965 at age 20, based on population explosion

numbers. I was not alone in doing so.

World population in 1965 was 3.324 Billion. Just 55 years later, it is 7.8 Billion. Global population has more than doubled in just over half a century.

100 years ago, in 1920, global population was under 2 Billion

That exponential increase in global population is why we are facing the spectre of global climate change and sea level rises, along with many other effects that are tied to human activities.

Looking back, I do not regret my decision not to reproduce. It was a conscious, thoughtful choice I made then. Did it matter? Probably not, since those who made those choices are a tiny minority of people. But, I made the choice nevertheless.

[jeffreyi]

20. Me too.

That said, "Empty Planet" is interesting reading. Bottom line, yes we need immigrants.

[safeinOhio]

12. Didn't have the best childhood.

At 11 years old, I decided to never have kids. That was 60 years ago and I stuck to it. Never looked back.

[eppur_se_muova]

13. Could we *finally* have a self-defeating prediction ?

You know, otherwise known as A THOUGHTFUL WARNING HEEDED ?

[Thyla]

14. Lol

People, they're the worst.

[radius777]

16. Seems like an overreaction. Liberal genes would die out while

the rightwingers outbreed us. Of course it's more complex than this, conservative parents can have liberal kids and vice versa. But clearly there are traits that are genetic (imo) and not just cultural. Liberals tend to have stronger intellectual curiosity and enjoy a world where there are differences and complexity - compared to conservatives who tend to enjoy a closed off world that never changes.

[jcgoldie]

19. good

The best thing you can do for the earth is not put more people on it.

[roamer65]

21. THIS.

[Dem2]

22. Among other reasons I'm sure

This article HAS to be biased. I've yet to meet a person who has expressed an opinion like this.

Yes, it's a concern, but I doubt it's a primary concern with many.

[Klaralven]

23. The end of cheap resources will likely cause a rapid decrease in global population after 2050

This won't really be due to climate change, and it may decrease the amount of climate change.

The US is pretty well positioned to keep a reasonable standard of living.

[bullwinkle428]

25. Unfortunately, too many stupid and ignorant people voting, to make any genuine effort

to prevent that apocalypse from occurring.