Global demographic decline offers potential socio-economic shifts

Global fertility rates are experiencing a significant decline, with populations in Europe, China, and Japan expected to drop drastically by 2100. In China, the average number of children per woman has fallen to 0.98, and the country recorded its lowest birth rate since 1949. Similar trends are observed in Thailand and France, where birth rates have returned to post-war levels.

Some analysts suggest this demographic shift could offer unexpected benefits. In France, where deaths exceeded births for the first time since 1945, a report by Unicef France and the think tank VersLeHaut suggests the decline could serve as a “historical opportunity” for the education system. The report argues that the reduction in the student population—projected to decrease by 1.7 million by 2035—could allow for the reinvestment of up to 5 billion euros into schools.

While the United Nations predicts significant population contractions, a study in The Lancet suggests that many European nations and Japan could see their populations halved by the end of the century.