The economy is already feeling the impact. Fewer hands to work means fewer goods and services. Companies face an intense talent shortage, especially in key sectors like healthcare and construction. Prices will shoot up, and standards of living will shrink. We are entering an era when the economic models we’ve relied upon will stop functioning. It’s time to search for solutions — before it’s too late.

At the same time, state support for families in many countries remains insufficient to offset the costs of raising a child. Add global economic turbulence and instability, and the lack of confidence in tomorrow becomes clear. These trends demand serious reflection and systemic solutions at the level of society as a whole.

Remember how animals in zoos frequently refuse to breed in captivity? Well, human needs for security, comfort and mental balance are far greater. When a state substitutes favourable conditions with fines and restrictions, the result is tax-dodging, emigration or conscious decisions not to parent.

The key is not in forcing but in empowering future parents: affordable housing, support for young families and decent conditions for raising children. The experience of various countries clearly proves: “carrot” works better than “stick”.

There are organisational measures too. In Japan the state funds dating services for singles. In France nurseries accept children from age one, enabling mothers to return to work swiftly. The experience in various nations shows: only a comprehensive package — financial incentives, infrastructure and promotion of family values — can reverse the trend. Otherwise within a few decades there will be no one to treat, teach or feed the elderly.

While governments scramble to boost birth-rates, technologies are offering alternative solutions. These can serve as valuable supplementary measures to soften the impact of the demographic crisis.

The digitalisation of the economy gradually reduces dependence on workforce numbers. Online banking, automated call-centres and production-management systems enable more output with fewer people. Of course, technology cannot fully replace human interaction, but it can act as a stop-gap while society figures out how to motivate people to have children.

At the same time, mass immigration brings new challenges for receiving countries. Cultural differences often cause social tension, and sometimes even spikes in crime and xenophobia. This doesn’t mean migration never works as a temporary measure — but it certainly cannot be the long-term solution to a demographic crisis. The real answer lies in combining intelligent migration policy with domestic measures to increase birth-rates.

Productivity growth becomes the key development driver. For example, European companies are experimenting with a four-day workweek, demonstrating that fewer hours can mean greater efficiency. At the same time bureaucratic burdens shrink and investment in education creates more skilled professionals rather than simply more workers. The economy learns to do more with fewer human resources. 

Cities will begin to be re-engineered for ageing populations — more elevators, fewer steps, comfortable benches everywhere. We’ll see a boom in shared-housing where young and old help each other. 

Longevity medicine and biotechnology will come to the forefront and become key economic sectors.

While many fear that population growth threatens resource shortages, there’s also a critical upside. The more people there are, the higher our civilisation’s chances of development and survival. Think of Einstein, Pushkin and other geniuses: the more births there are, the higher the probability of extraordinary minds and breakthrough ideas. In the event of global crises, numerical strength and the ability to cooperate could be our ace in the hole.

Besides, there are other planets that maybe we can settle in. But now — that’s another story entirely!