KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION 10/30/19
Newsweek: This Controversial Way To Combat Climate Change Might Be The Most Effective | Opinion
Michael Shank, sustainable development instructor at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs and communications director for the Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance
“Given the climate inaction among national governments — from America and Australia to Brazil and Britain — there’s been a big focus on actions that individuals can take. … What’s less frequently discussed, however, when it comes to personal contributions people can make, is also one of the most effective actions on the climate front: a smaller family size. … Adding another estimated 2 billion people over the next three decades to our existing 7.7 billion global population will put unimaginable stress on the planet’s resources, especially drinking water, which is already drying up in cities throughout the world. … This is about educating girls and empowering women, since research continues to show that this leads to smaller families and, thus, more resources for each child. … And this is about increasing access to, and affordability of, reproductive services … By having thoughtful, equity-based conversations about the benefits of smaller families, we can make meaningful progress on and investments in healthy families and a healthy climate, allowing parents and the planet to invest more resources in each child…” (10/29).
