Climate change is changing us in many ways, perhaps even in terms of fertility. The proof is an international study that analyzed how we are adapting to the changing planet. The climate is changing our economy, food and even the number of children we do. Does the phenomenon have only social or even biological reasons?

The study was published in Environmental Research Letters. Inside, the authors analyze various fertility issues: infant mortality, longevity, gender gap. They used a quantitative model combined with economic and demographic data. To make the study more reliable, they took as an example two existing countries and their economies: Colombia and Switzerland. In particular, they focused on how climate change changed their demographics.

The model prepared by the team follows some individuals from childhood to adulthood, all in a disarranging ecosystem. In the model, we see how climate change affects agriculture, with disastrous results especially in the poorest countries. Parents must therefore decide how to manage declining resources in order to survive and guarantee a decent life for their children. Based on the decisions taken, the future of the offspring changes.

The results of the analysis have been disheartening from all points of view. According to scientists, the gradual decline in resources could cause a decline both in the upbringing of children in their numbers. This means that there will be fewer and fewer children and that there will probably be more and more differences between rich and poor countries.

Source: phys.org