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“An ambitious reimagining of our demographic future.”—The New York Times Book Review
For half a century, statisticians, pundits, and politicians have warned that a burgeoning population will soon overwhelm the earth’s resources. But a growing number of experts are sounding a different alarm. Rather than continuing to increase exponentially, they argue, the global population is headed for a steep decline—and in many countries, that decline has already begun.
In Empty Planet, international social researcher Darrell Bricker and award-winning journalist John Ibbitson find that a smaller global population will bring with it many benefits: Fewer workers will command higher wages, the environment will improve, the risk of famine will wane, and falling birthrates in the developing world will bring greater affluence and autonomy for women. But enormous disruption lies ahead, too. The United States and Canada are well positioned to successfully navigate these coming demographic shifts—unless growing isolationism leads us to close ourselves off just as openness becomes more critical to our survival than ever.
Rigorously researched and deeply compelling, Empty Planet offers a vision of the future that we can no longer prevent—but one that we can shape, if we choose.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
February 5, 2019 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781984844903
- File size: 249890 KB
- Duration: 08:40:36
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Bricker and Ibbitson present a compelling case that the world should be concerned about population decline, which comes across somewhat dramatically in Robert Petkoff's narration. His clear and declarative projection merges with the authors' prose in ways that make their premise seem a fait accompli, yet their argument hinges entirely on the rejection of long-held historical trends. In that way, Petkoff proves a formidable narrator who helps to convince listeners of the authors' case. They dig deep into numerous sources in order to elucidate their view that through increased economic prosperity, education, and cultural exchange, many countries will struggle with replenishing their populations in the decades to come. L.E. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
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