Earth Day 2026

The Good Crisis: How Population Stabilization Can Foster a Healthy U.S. Economy

Presented by Population Connection President and CEO John Seager

It’s been 10 years since our co-publication, The Good Crisis: How Population Stabilization Can Foster a Healthy U.S. Economy. A decade later, we’re still making the same argument: lower fertility rates are good for the health and well-being of people and the planet.

Population Connection President and CEO, John Seager, unpacks how the demographic changes now underway represent an extraordinary opportunity for us to focus on creating a greater, rather than larger, society. Lower fertility rates can help solve some of our most intractable problems, avert some of the worst climate catastrophes, and create opportunities for those who are often left out of our economy.

During the event, John explored the challenge of The Good Crisis—keeping our aging population healthy, productive, and prepared for today’s technologically-focused jobs. At the same time, today’s youth must be prepared for productive futures through education, skills training, and delayed parenthood enabled by improved family planning services.

Contact the Membership Relations Team at engage@popconnect.org to request a hard copy of The Good Crisis, while supplies last!

Date: April 22nd, 2026

Q+A

Questions from the audience, with responses from Population Connection President and CEO, John Seager

What is the ideal global population for sustainable living?

By any reasonable standard, we are far above any sustainable level. But there is no hard-and-fast population number. It depends upon how we live and how we want others to live. Barring some massive sudden collapse, it will almost certainly take several centuries to get back to a population level that would be truly sustainable based on the current lifestyles of those of us who now live in more developed nations and based upon current available technologies. By removing barriers that prevent women from achieving their own reproductive autonomy and by ensuring that girls everywhere have access to education, we can accelerate the process.

Can you share your thoughts on the great replacement theory?

That theory is completely contrary to our mission and our perspective.

The “Great Replacement” is a white nationalist conspiracy theory alleging a deliberate plot by “globalist elites” to replace white European populations with non-white immigrants. It first gained traction from the writings of Renaud Camus who argued that “replacist” elites were intentionally substituting the French people with immigrants. While Renaud Camus focused on the destruction of “civilization” rather than biology, critics argue his theory remains rooted in ethnic exclusion.

This theory has moved from fringe forums into the mainstream of American political discourse. Its impact is measured across three areas:

• Public Belief: Roughly one-third of American adults believe in a deliberate effort to replace “native-born Americans” for political gain. Among Republican-leaning voters, this number reaches up to two-thirds.
• Political Rhetoric: Officials often use “lite” versions of the theory, such as “demographic engineering”. The framing of migration as an “invasion”—a term used extensively by Renaud Camus—has become standard vocabulary.
• Media Amplification: Personalities like Tucker Carlson made the theory palatable by replacing racial language with “voter power” arguments.

The mainstreaming of these ideas has shifted the “Overton window,” providing justification for hardline measures like mass deportations. It has also created legislative stalemates, as any path to citizenship is now viewed through the lens of “replacing” current voters. The current dominance of digital algorithms in “new” media makes it that much harder to strike a fair balance around migration issues.

Are you saying that population stabilization is sufficient with over 8 billion people? From the studies I’ve read, the planet cannot support a population of 8 billion people; this is not sustainable!

Population stabilization, also known as “zero population growth” (a demographic term), is a worthy goal. But, based on consumption patterns and current technology, the world cannot sustain current human population levels without vast continuing ecological damage and great human suffering.

As I mentioned during my presentation, there are now some cities that have experienced dramatic population declines but where their population now appears to have stabilized at a much lower level, where they are thriving. We humans have always been a migratory species, so inevitably there will continue to be shifts in our population patterns with local and regional growth and decline. As matters now stand, we need to accelerate voluntary efforts to stop population growth and facilitate a decline in our numbers to a sustainable level which will itself depend on how we all choose to live and what options are available to all.