Population decline should “not be feared” because it will help the UK reach its climate goals, the former chief of the finance regulator has said.
Lord Adair Turner, former chairman of the Financial Services Authority, said that a gentle decline in birth rates would “deliver significant benefits to human welfare”.
Writing in a research paper, he argued that with the right government policy an ageing population would not pose a threat to the economy.
Low birth rates and an ageing population have often been seen as a looming crisis, with economists arguing there will not be enough people to work and contribute to the future economy.
This, coupled with the rising cost of pensions and health care, has made people increasingly worried about shrinking populations and smaller families.
