Expert urges countries to adapt to demographic challenges

Governments worldwide must adapt to demographic challenges as aging societies and declining fertility rates become increasingly pressing global issues, a Spanish expert said Thursday on the United Nations (UN) World Population Day, reported Xinhua.

In an interview with Xinhua, Albert Esteve, director of the Center for Demographic Studies (CED) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), highlighted the interconnected nature of aging populations and declining fertility rates, stressing the need to address these slow but significant demographic changes.

He emphasized that demographic change ranks among humanity's top 10 challenges, alongside climate change, social inequality, and poverty.

Esteve pointed to the global fertility rate as a defining factor in population trends. According to UN figures, it has dropped to approximately 2.4 children per woman, down from around five in the mid-1960s. "The further the fertility rate falls short of two, the faster the population will decline," he added.

Even in populous countries like China and India, Esteve noted declining fertility rates, warning that the global population may start falling once sub-Saharan Africa experiences similar declines.

Spain faces distinct demographic challenges exacerbated by high life expectancy, low fertility rates, significant immigration, and a weaker economy compared to other European countries, Esteve noted.

"The difference between Spain and Sweden, for example, is not that the Spanish want fewer children or that they don't want children before they are 30. Rather, when the Swedes start having children, many of them already have a certain material abundance, such as a house or a secure job," he explained.

While governments cannot reverse demographic trends, the professor suggested strategies such as incentivizing higher birth rates among young couples and increasing social support for the elderly population.

He also advocated for adjusting retirement ages to accommodate longer life expectancies.

Immigration, Esteve said, plays a crucial role in countering declining fertility rates and maintaining productivity. Reflecting on Spain's demographic evolution over the past 25 years, he noted a significant increase in the foreign-born population, which currently comprises about 20 percent of the total.

"The integration of immigrants will shape our society profoundly in the coming decades," Esteve said, highlighting the demographic and sociological implications of this ongoing transformation.

The UN World Population Day, observed annually on July 11 since 1989, aims to raise awareness of global population issues including fertility rates, life expectancy, poverty, migration, and urbanization.