Europe’s Demographic Turning Point

Demography is the new climate change.For decades, experts, policymakers, activists and politicians have been concerned with climate change. Now it is clear that demographic change is just as important. Every few days, a statistical office in Europe releases data confirming that, in the last year, fewer babies were born than ever and that the average age of their compatriots is getting ever older. More of us can and do work longer, but the increase in the amount of people aged eighty or more is leading to unprecedented numbers impacted by conditions like dementia and needing expensive care. As fertility rates decline, the population of many European countries is shrinking fast. But some are growing, thanks to immigration. Immigrants bolster declining populations and fill jobs in countries crying out for labour—but then they too get old and will need care. Against this backdrop, migration has become the single most combustible issue in European politics. What does all this mean for Europe’s future? What are the implications for migration, pensions, climate change, security and defence? How do automation and artificial intelligence fit into this story? This timely book offers a vital analysis of the discomfiting realities of one of the greatest challenges facing Europe today.