Financial Times: Why Low Birth Rates Shouldn't Be a Right-Wing Issue

According to the Financial Times, the left is avoiding the issue of low birth rates, which it should not be doing. The publication states that by ceding this ground to the right, progressives are facilitating a more conservative and less 'green' future.

The Financial Times notes that while central bankers have highlighted the damaging economic consequences of aging populations, the left avoids the issue, believing that the desire for more children restricts individual freedom and is a setback for women. Some progressives believe that more children mean more population and pollution.

A 2024 study showed that the left's indifference to declining birth rates is pushing societies in a more conservative direction. Conservatives continue to have the same number of children, while the decline is mainly among progressives.

The Financial Times argues that the right's biggest 'trick' was to convince the left that the discussion about families and children is a conservative matter. Instead of worrying about adding more carbon footprints, progressives should raise the children who will invent the technologies for zero carbon emissions.

Examining the data, the Financial Times reports that by ceding the field to the right, progressives are facilitating a less 'green' future. Lower birth rates do not necessarily benefit the planet, as the total volume of emissions depends on the number of people and how much each emits. Countries with older populations tend to be less innovative and more conservative, slowing down the energy transition.