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Comment by sdenton4 | Hacker News Reader

Constraining human growth seems to be very easy, though, and requires /more freedom/ not less: Increase access to education, reproductive freedom, and career opportunities.

This trifecta has brought reproduction below the replacement rate in large parts of the globe. US population goes up only via immigration.

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But that's already factored into projected population growth. We still end up with a 1-2+ billion more people for the next century or so before the replacement rate is negative.

So... Do it more. Places with good access to education and family planning /already have/ negative population growth rates. The problem is uneven access, and that's something that can be worked on.

Open borders to move people more quickly into more-developed countries, and increase funding and pressure for initiatives to raise standards in other countries.

I don't see that working. Right wing has been on the rise the past few years and countries like Japan didn't have a decent immigration system to begin with. Racism was a big factor in Brexit vote too. It just seems that with every passing year, immigration (even for well educated and qualified people) is becoming more and more difficult (even before covid), the opposite of what we need.

Here's the rub, all the things you're asking for cost way more energy and produce way more carbon than being third-world poor.

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