“When we elect our lawmakers in America, we
influence the moral character of this nation for better or for worse. When our laws permit violence against little
babies, incidents like the Columbine High School shootings are the logical outcome
…”
Rev. Frank Pavone, National Priests
for Life
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The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism (Official Baltimore Catechism
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This Catechism retains the text of the Revised Baltimore Catechism,
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UN ISSUES WARNING ON LOOMING INTERNATIONTION
UNDER-POPULATION PROBLEM
* Going against decades of warnings about high fertility rates and overpopulation, the
United Nations has just released a report warning of an evolving new problem, population
decline. The Population Division of the UN Secretariat says in its report,
"Replacement Migration," that the only hope in many countries for maintaining
existing levels of working-age populations is immigration at levels many may find
alarming.
* The UN Population Division maintains population estimates and projections for every
country in the world and its numbers are use to think about UN policy related to
population questions. Its current report says there are two ongoing trends that are both
"striking" and "critical:" "population decline and population
aging." The study looked at demographic data from eight countries, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the
United States.
* The study reflects policy decisions made by governments over the past half century to
decrease the fertility rate of its citizens. The result is that many countries are
experiencing the new phenomenon called "below replacement fertility" whereby
populations are no longer having enough children to replace themselves. The UN has
reported that 61 nations now fall below fertility replacement and this number is expected
to continue growing.
* The long-term results of below-replacement fertility are aging populations, and
eventual population decline. Additionally these countries face the decline in the overall
number of active workers (those between 15 and 65 years old).
* The study predicts that over the next half century the median age of the Japanese
population will increase from 41 years to 49. Italy is expected to age from a median of 41
to 53. The percentage of Japanese elderly, those over 65, is expected to climb from 17
percent to 32 percent while in Italy the percentage of the population over the age of 65
will grow from 18 percent to 35 per cent.
* The study predicts that "the numbers of migrants needed to offset declines in
the working-age population are significantly larger that those needed to offset total
population decline." It goes on to point out that "the levels of migration
needed to offset population aging are extremely large, and in all cases entail vastly more
immigration than occurred in the past." Japan, for instance, is expected to need 10.5
million immigrants per year to offset the depletion of working-age citizens. The European
Union will need 13 million per year.
* Because of the two factors of population aging and decline, along with the expected
resistance to massive immigration, the report suggests that policy makers will have to
grapple with a number of critical issues in the coming decades. It is suggested that
retirement ages will have to increase, that retirement and medical benefits will have to
change, and that financial support paid by workers for retired persons may also have to
increase dramatically.
* The report seems to contradict what many see as aggressive population control
programs promoted by UN agencies like the United Nations Population Fund.
Copyright - C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute).
Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.
This Page last updated: Tuesday, October 31, 2000
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