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People Fixing the World
Does the world need more babies?
People Fixing the World
Jan 8, 2019

People in many parts of the world are having fewer babies than they were 60 years ago, and that’s worrying some countries.

So in order to maintain the proportion of people of working age, governments have come up with campaigns to try to get people to have more children. Polish couples have been encouraged to “breed like bunnies” and speed dating events have been laid on for singles in Georgia.

Nicola Kelly visits Norway, which has tackled the issue in a different way, ensuring gender equality, healthcare and education make it attractive to have more than one child.

But as the global population grows, does the world really need more babies? We ask whether this just puts greater strain on the planet’s resources.

Presenter: Nick Holland Reporter/producer: Nicola Kelly

Image Credit: Getty Images

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People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email [email protected]. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Photo: A mountain gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Credit: Richard Kenny)


23min 14sec

Does the world need more babies?

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