Without immigration, the U.S. population will shrink starting in 2033 in part “because fertility rates are projected to remain too low for a generation to replace itself,” the Congressional Budget Office said.
The reduced projections from last year were the results of a decline in projected fertility rates over 30 years from 1.70 births per woman to 1.60 births per woman and less immigration because of an executive order last June that temporarily suspends asylum processing at the border when U.S. officials deem they are overwhelmed, the budget office said. Replacement happens at a rate of 2.1 births per woman.
Again, if you look at the per capita production of emissions this varies significantly by country. The median resident of India produces carbon consistently with normal global climate patterns. The median resident of Qatar is this endless plume of fumes.
Part of the convenience of modern life is created by energy conservation. Quality insulation, electric lighting/heating, rail transit and bicycles, modern telecommunication as an alternative to travel, plumbing and water recycling, crop rotation and hydroponics and nitrogen rich fertilizers - all dramatically reduce the per-capita load an individual inflicts on the surrounding environment.
What we’re seeing in countries like the US is a failure to invest in ecologically sustainable modernized infrastructure. We’ve foregone efficiency for profit, because single-use plastics perform better on the balance sheet of the O&G industry than biodegradable alternatives.