This runs a bit counter in spirit to some posts or position papers (can’t find it now) arguing that having more children does not have a strong climate cost bc ‘we expect future generations to emit less/solve the problem’. The same sort of argument could be applied to consuming (and torturing) animals. But I’m not sure it’s realistic in either case.
I think it’s true that we should expect welfare improvements, and there’s some chance that per capita animal product consumption decreases significantly, but it seems consumption is increasing in developing countries, and I think countries with more limited access to contraceptives or other family planning services as well as higher fertility rates are mostly developing countries.
This was the context, thanks. Agree with you. And I’m intuitively skeptical of the argument in both cases: I suspect meat and animal consumption seems likely to persist for quite some time, as does a high carbon lifestyle. Likely to decrease in high income countries, but maybe to 50% or higher, so adding to population will still be a strong negative through this channel (caveat: this is mostly just my intuition.) The case that ‘future kids will be so much better’ so don’t worry seems a bit wishful thinking and suspicious convergency to me.
This runs a bit counter in spirit to some posts or position papers (can’t find it now) arguing that having more children does not have a strong climate cost bc ‘we expect future generations to emit less/solve the problem’. The same sort of argument could be applied to consuming (and torturing) animals. But I’m not sure it’s realistic in either case.
For climate, maybe this Founders Pledge report?
I think it’s true that we should expect welfare improvements, and there’s some chance that per capita animal product consumption decreases significantly, but it seems consumption is increasing in developing countries, and I think countries with more limited access to contraceptives or other family planning services as well as higher fertility rates are mostly developing countries.
This was the context, thanks. Agree with you. And I’m intuitively skeptical of the argument in both cases: I suspect meat and animal consumption seems likely to persist for quite some time, as does a high carbon lifestyle. Likely to decrease in high income countries, but maybe to 50% or higher, so adding to population will still be a strong negative through this channel (caveat: this is mostly just my intuition.) The case that ‘future kids will be so much better’ so don’t worry seems a bit wishful thinking and suspicious convergency to me.