Fears over the climate emergency may be deterring people from having children, according to a new study.
The research, published by IZA Institute of Labor Economics, looks at evidence of increased ‘green’ behaviour, and how this might impact on the decisions childless people are making about future plans to have children.
This discussion paper is the first research to look at this idea from a longitudinal perspective, to draw conclusions on potential links between environmentalism and feelings about having children. Using data from Understanding Society, the research found that people committed to a green lifestyle were less likely to go on to become parents. In contrast, a person who is entirely unconcerned about environmental behaviour is approximately 60% more likely to go on and have a child in the future, compared to individuals who are deeply committed environmentalists.
This research used a number of questions related to environmental actions to assess the green credentials of the individuals within the study. These include questions on taking flights, using public transport instead of a car, carrying out household recycling and not buying items that have a lot of packaging. The data collected allowed the researchers to analyse both behaviours and opinions to measure how environmentally conscious a person is.
The researchers conclude, “People who are strong environmentalists are less likely to have children. That may be because they fear those children will have a bleak future or because the act is consistent with a pro-environmental lifestyle.”
Read the discussion paper: Are environmental concerns deterring people from having children?
Family and householdsTransport and environment
