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The advantages of demographic change after the wave: fewer and older, but healthier, greener, and more productive?

Author

Listed:
  • Fanny A. Kluge

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

  • Emilio Zagheni

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

  • Elke Loichinger

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

  • Tobias C. Vogt

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany)

Abstract

Population aging is an inevitable global demographic process. Most of the literature on the consequences of demographic change focuses on the economic and societal challenges that we will face as people live longer and have fewer children. In this paper, we (a) describe key trends and projections of the magnitude and speed of population aging; (b) discuss the economic, social, and environmental consequences of population aging; and (c) investigate some of the opportunities that aging societies create. We use Germany as a case study. However, the general insights that we obtain can be generalized to other developed countries. We argue that there may be positive unintended side effects of population aging that can be leveraged to address pressing environmental problems and issues of gender inequality and intergenerational ties.

Suggested Citation

  • Fanny A. Kluge & Emilio Zagheni & Elke Loichinger & Tobias C. Vogt, 2014. "The advantages of demographic change after the wave: fewer and older, but healthier, greener, and more productive?," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2014-003, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2014-003
    DOI: 10.4054/MPIDR-WP-2014-003
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Hunkler, Christian & Weiss, Matthias, 2021. "Big data at work: Age and labor productivity in the service sector," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    2. Alexia Prskawetz & Bernhard Hammer, 2018. "Does education matter? – economic dependency ratios by education," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 16(1), pages 111-134.
    3. Ziga Cepar & Marjetka Troha, 2015. "Impact of Population Ageing on Education Level and Average Monthly Salary: The Case of Slovenia," Managing Global Transitions, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 13(3 (Fall)), pages 281-299.
    4. Jane N. O’Sullivan, 2023. "Demographic Delusions: World Population Growth Is Exceeding Most Projections and Jeopardising Scenarios for Sustainable Futures," World, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-24, September.
    5. Wei, Taoyuan & Zhu, Qin & Glomsrød, Solveig, 2018. "How Will Demographic Characteristics of the Labor Force Matter for the Global Economy and Carbon Dioxide Emissions?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 197-207.
    6. Dirk Ulbricht & Dmitry Chervyakov, 2015. "Population Ageing and Its Effects on the German Economy," DIW Roundup: Politik im Fokus 78, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.

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    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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