If you are planning to have a child, then definitely pay attention to these things.

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Warnings about the devastating impact it is having on our planet are becoming more dire. The UN Environment Programme’s most recent Emissions Gap Report, which tracks our progress in limiting global warming, showed that the world is on course to avoid a “hellish” 3°C of global warming before the end of the century. Is moving towards. How can you plan for your family when the outlook is so bleak? A recent study by Hope Dillerstone, Laura Brown and Ellen Flores of University College London reviews existing evidence to shed light on how the climate crisis is shaping decisions about whether or not to have children .

Concerns about overpopulation and overconsumption

Analyzing research published between 2012 and 2022, researchers found that people who were concerned about the climate crisis generally wanted to have fewer children or not have children at all. Concerns about overpopulation and overconsumption, uncertainty about the future, and concerns about providing for their families were among the factors driving people’s desire to have smaller families.

over population and over consumption

Do you feel guilty about your potential baby’s carbon footprint? Perhaps you are frustrated with modern society’s materialistic values ​​and the imperative of overconsumption? These issues also emerged in several reviewed studies. The idea of ​​overpopulation has a long, problematic and political history. In various forms, this idea has been floating around since at least the late 18th century. This has led to unethical “population control” measures in some countries. Some writers argue that there are already too many people living on our planet and that the sheer number of people is causing our current environmental crisis, but what the argument about overpopulation frequently misses is that It is not just about how many people there are on the planet, but also how sustainably we live.

The need to tackle the climate crisis

The urgency with which we need to tackle the climate crisis also means that the option of not having children for the sake of climate will now prove inadequate and ineffective. Even with low fertility, the population will continue to grow due to population growth. Even though fertility rates are declining, the number of people of reproductive age in the global population is still large, resulting in more births than deaths. Several studies suggest that more structural solutions, such as drastic reductions in carbon emissions, are urgently needed and that they promise to be more effective than reducing family size.

uncertainty about the future

Are you worried that your future children won’t be able to enjoy nature because of damaged ecosystems? Perhaps you are worried about more catastrophic consequences, such as complete societal collapse? The review shows that these are the main topics influencing people’s decisions to have fewer children, especially for people living in the US, Canada, Europe and New Zealand.

Impact of climate change on child birth

The UN’s recent emissions gap report concluded that there is only a 14% chance that the world will limit global warming to the maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius demanded by climate scientists. Additionally, millions of people around the world are already experiencing the devastating consequences of climate change in their everyday lives. For example, in Zambia and Ethiopia, climate change concerns are having a more immediate impact on childbearing.

People need access to contraception

In a 2021 study that explored the impact of drought on the social and financial well-being of Zambian women and their reproductive lives, one participant said: ”The six children I want to have don’t have enough food to eat But to have fewer children, people need access to contraception, the supply of which may be disrupted, especially in times of crisis. Additionally, other respondents in Zambia reported that they were considering having more children to provide financial and labor support. It highlights how the climate crisis is already and directly hindering reproductive justice – the right to have children, not to have children, and to parent in a safe and healthy environment

Having a child as a political option

The climate crisis is a collective and therefore political crisis. If we order our governments to drastically reduce emissions generated by industry and consumers, we are more likely to avoid the worst climate outcomes than if we focus on changing our individual behavior. One study included in the review analyzed how environmental activists approached childbearing decisions. Some people chose not to have children as a means of exerting political pressure and advocacy. For others, not having children was a choice to free up time and energy for political and advocacy activities focused on the climate crisis. Instead, some people saw childbearing as a way to prepare future workers. The choice is extremely personal. The only “right” answer is what’s best for you, but we can all do more to make sure policies help everyone make their choices.

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