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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/s-pore-population-crosses-6-million-mark Huat ah! Import more foreigners!

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/more-spending-on-healthcare-does-not-mean-a-healthier-population-ong-ye-kung SINGAPORE - The Republic’s healthcare challenge in the coming years is not spending more, but to ensure that Singapore does not go the way of many OECD countries where healthcare costs are “spiralling and escalating out of control”, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung told Parliament on Wednesday. Better health outcomes can be achieved by continuing with Singapore’s sensible and practical approach of having different layers of safety nets – subsidies, MediShield Life, MediSave and MediFund – and combining it with the Healthier SG strategy to reduce the sickness and disease burden even as the population ages, he added. Mr Ong was responding to Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai’s assertion on Tuesday that the Government has not spent enough to cover Singaporeans’ healthcare costs, and should be spending more to help with medical bills. Mr Leong had cited data to show that the Government’s share of healthcare expenditure is lower than the average among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The majority of the 38 OECD members are regarded as developed countries. Mr Ong noted that it is widely accepted by health economists that spending more on healthcare does not mean better outcomes. For instance, the United States and Britain spend about 17 per cent and 10 per cent of their gross domestic product on healthcare respectively, compared with Singapore’s 4 per cent. Despite this, both those countries are facing a high incidence of chronic illnesses and high obesity rates, and expected lifespans there are lower than in Singapore, he said. Conversely, Singapore has delivered good outcomes given how much it is spending, while keeping healthcare affordable for the middle- and lower-income groups, Mr Ong added. Seven in 10 Singaporeans in subsidised hospital wards do not pay any out-of-pocket expenses, and nine in 10 pay less than $500 in cash. “So when Mr Leong asked the Government to spend more to lower out-of-pocket expenses further, he really meant to channel resources to unsubsidised patients, that is, those staying in A class wards or private hospitals,” he said. “This is where the big bucks and big expenditure are, and it will push our healthcare expenditure and spending to the levels of OECD countries.” Mr Leong also failed to mention that such spending ultimately has to be raised from the people through taxes, and made no mention of where PSP will get the funding from, Mr Ong added. The reality is that government healthcare spending has already been rising, having tripled between 2011 and 2020, and is expected to triple again between 2021 and 2030, said Mr Ong. Mr Leong had also called for increased spending from the Pioneer Generation (PG) and Merdeka Generation funds, as he felt that spending from those funds has been small relative to their total assets. This understanding is misplaced as both funds were sized based on the projected lifetime cost of the benefits, said Mr Ong. He noted that PG members are as young as 74 and “still have quite a bit of runway ahead of them”, though the Government will continue to review the adequacy of both funds. The Health Minister also responded to Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim’s suggestion that Singapore’s medical infrastructure is too lean, and that the current hospital bed crunch speaks to a need to relook healthcare capacity. Mr Ong said every country is facing a similar crunch post-Covid-19, including the OECD countries despite their higher bed-to-population ratio. The reason for the bed crunch here is that the average length of hospital stay has increased by 15 per cent compared with before the pandemic, he said. This is likely a result of more older people falling ill due to an “immunity debt” as safe management measures were lifted, a problem exacerbated by poorer health from social isolation amid Covid-19. Singapore is catching up on healthcare capacity as projects delayed by Covid-19 – such as the Tan Tock Seng Hospital Integrated Care Hub and Woodlands integrated health campus – are now being completed, said Mr Ong. More transitional care facilities will also be set up to offer rehabilitative care for more stable senior patients. Closing the debate on the motion to support healthcare here beyond the pandemic, Nominated MP Tan Yia Swam responded to Mr Leong’s charge that drug prices were “marked up unreasonably for non-subsidised patients” in order to cross-subsidise others. Dr Tan, who is a breast surgeon, asked if Mr Leong had evidence that this was happening, and noted that non-subsidised patients are those who opt for an A-class or B1-class ward, or foreigners. “I, as a doctor, would think that allowing market forces to determine costings is fair, or would Mr Leong also want taxpayers to pay for everyone?” she asked. Mr Leong said he had heard “feedback from residents (that) they pay different prices when in different classes”, and that while it is understandable for services to be priced differently based on ward class, this should not be the case for drugs. The NCMP had earlier called on the Government to centralise drug procurement across public and private medical institutions, as doing so would reduce the cost of medicine. In response, Mr Ong said Singapore deliberately chose to have a variegated market for healthcare, with private-sector doctors having different business models. For instance, some private doctors charge very low consultation fees but make a margin on the drugs they sell, while others do the reverse, he said. “Sometimes you want to let market forces operate, but at the same time have some discipline through... what we subsidise and what we don’t, and I think that’s how we rein in unnecessary healthcare costs,” said Mr Ong.

Singapore ‘open to’ idea of one-off rise in vehicle population, with higher usage-based charges: Chee SINGAPORE is open to reviewing the idea of a one-off increase in its vehicle population, spread over a few years and accompanied by higher vehicle-usage charges to prevent congestion, said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat on Tuesday (Mar 5). But the trade-offs “are not straightforward, and need to be studied carefully before a decision is made”, he added during the debate in Parliament on his ministry’s budget. Member of Parliament Saktiandi Supaat had asked if distance-based charging could allow Singapore to increase the total vehicle population while still achieving its car-lite vision. Chee said his ministry was “open to reviewing the idea” of a one-off increase with higher charges. These usage-based charges could include location and time-based fees – as with the existing Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system – or distance-based charging, where road users pay depending on how far they travel. “However, it is not feasible to (rely only) on usage-based charges to prevent traffic congestion, as these would have to be set at very high rates, which might not be acceptable to many car owners,” he said. Singapore would still need other ownership controls and measures such as parking charges, he added. He also noted that taxi, private-hire car and delivery drivers would face higher usage-based fees as they travel longer distances. “We will need to examine the impact on these groups, though usage-based charging is, in principle, a fair approach,” he said. The Land Transport Authority began the roll-out of the new ERP 2.0 system’s On-Board units last November. These units are equipped with satellite-based technology that can support distance-based charging, though the statutory board said at the time that there were “no immediate plans” to transition away from the current system. https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/transport-logistics/singapore-open-to-idea-of-one-off-rise-in-vehicle-population-with-higher-usage-based-charges-chee hmmm ...

Drove to a few HDB estates today. could feel the space and less crowded, like when population was below 4M more than 10 years back.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/workplace-discrimination-age-jobs-recruitment-3900191 14 jobs and 5 industry changes later - marketing and editorial professional Imran Johri found himself facing ageism in the job market. SINGAPORE: “The team is quite young and we intend to nurture a hustle culture with them.” This, I would soon realise - in hiring terms - was code for, "I don’t think you’ll fit in, old man". That in itself didn’t bother me much, but what did bother me though, was that I was beginning to see a trend. In the most recent batch of about six job interviews I’d attended, there began to emerge an archetype of hiring managers that, within minutes of talking to me, would in high probability reject my candidacy. At first, my thought was “Am I the problem here?”. After much self-reflection I can wholeheartedly say, maybe. Before you judge my annoying prata-flips, let me give some context. GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN Ageism in the workplace has been under the spotlight recently, with a survey released by the Ministry of Manpower in July showing that age was the most common form of discrimination experienced by jobseekers. Across age groups, those aged 40 and over had a much higher incidence of being discriminated against. Considering that Singapore’s retirement age is 63 - and is set to be raised to 65 in 2030 - being told that you’re too old for a job while in your 40s is unnervingly early. Singapore’s population is not only ageing, but ageing rapidly - with 25 per cent of Singaporeans expected to be 65 and older by 2030. This will be a massive change not only for society, but the workplace too. Luckily for older workhorses like me, the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices will soon be enshrined into law. Now, anyone who’s ever seen my resume will either brand me an incorrigible job-hopper or commend me for my extensive and varied work experience. To be fair, both of these cursory judgments are valid. Right out of university, I was fuelled by abject idealism, and despite growing older and wiser, this intrinsic motivation or rebellious passion to go against the grain has fuelled most of my career choices. This of course came at a cost - for I knew this was not the path to wealth, fame or meteoric success, but rather, a self-gratifying journey of personal wins. Despite this - never would I imagine that after 24 years of chasing that next new exciting project - I would come to a head-on collision with ageism. FROM YOUNG UPSTART TO OLD BIRD The first five years of work were often peppered with, “let’s do this, you’re clearly hungry” from my first bosses. And I absolutely was, my risk appetite was bottomless and I wanted to do more, all the time. I went from being scriptwriter for an award-winning TV show to being the editor of two men’s magazines. I was on a career warpath, and I worked myself very close to burn-out. Luckily for me, I eventually recalibrated, mostly from stints overseas and really started to pace myself, but by then the publishing industry was starting to decline. I then had to make the hard decision to switch industries and at that point, it was plausible and easier, in fact, to change, mostly because my next batch of bosses in marketing saw my editorial experience as a huge plus. By 2018, I had become the head of marketing for a venture capital (VC) but alas, I had also come to a point where I had to make another tough choice. I had to either become an entrepreneur, as per the philosophy of the VC, or choose an alternate pathway, which the organisation would fully endorse and support either way. So after five years with the VC, I chose to leave and to explore what the market held for a 49-year old man with a chequered CV. YOUNG GUN MARKETEERS ARE A DIME A DOZEN The rejections were varied and in volume, some of them coming in fast and furious. “You don’t have the necessary experience,” was a common reply. So was “We’re looking for someone less senior”. In retrospect, it’s hilarious to me now how I simultaneously didn’t have the necessary experience and yet be too senior for the job. Some rejections, however, were slow and painful, with multiple interviews across recruiters, managers and directors. To which I was either ghosted or simply sent a very tardy rejection email. One thing stood out for me though, during those tough job-search months - I became adept at identifying the specific type of hiring manager that would reject me after the first meeting. They were always early- to mid-30s marketeers, who’d attained an accelerated upward trajectory in the marketing world and were now the marketing heads. Now, I can absolutely empathise with their decision to reject me outright. Those hiring managers were under pressure to lead young, high-performance teams, all of whom were hungry and ready to hustle. The last thing they needed was an older man to second-guess their decisions in the midst of the fire-fighting and chaos. They needed to move ahead, unabated. But here’s the thing about being an older guy with experience, I will second-guess and challenge the decision-making process if I think there might be a better way of doing things. UNCLE CAN’T HOLD HIS TONGUE So am I the problem here? Maybe. Is ageism being practised? I think so. But not in an absolutist way. In fact, I would argue that it’s nuanced and contextual. In the end, just as I eventually knew what would not work in my favour - I started seeing what would. Some of the interviews I’ve attended were an absolute joy, with clear, transparent communication and hiring managers who saw the value I brought to the table. I have since made the transition to a technology company, one that has one of the most diverse team compositions I have ever worked with, with everyone driven to ensure we make a mark in the market. One of the annoying key drivers of ageism, it seems, is the belief that older employees can't keep up with technological advancements. Preposterous. I’m literally a tech-bro at 49 - and the assumption that older employees lack the vigour, adaptability or skills required for a “young person” role is unfounded. We older guys have too much at stake, with too many dependents and no time, to even consider ourselves being at a "disadvantage". So if you’re on the job hunt, keep at it. No matter who you are, or what you do, there will be an -ism working against you. But take heed, take notes and take charge of your own career - it’s the only way to go. Imran Johri is a marketing and editorial professional with extensive experience in the Asia Pacific region.

Singapore's population hits 5.18 million as at end-June Published on Sep 28, 2011 Purchase this article for republication Buy SPH photos Singapore's total population stood at 5.18 million as at end-June 2011. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANGBy Janice Heng Singapore's population has reached 5.18 million, up 2.1 per cent from 5.08 million last year. The growth was due to increases in the number of citizens and non-residents. There are now 3.26 million citizens, up 0.8 per cent from 3.23 in 2010. The number of non-residents - foreigners who are working, studying or living here but not granted permanent resident status - rose 6.9 per cent to 1.39 million this year, from 1.31 million in 2010. In contrast, the number of permanent residents fell by 1.7 per cent, to 532,000 from 541,000 in 2010. The updated population figures, released on Wednesday by the Department of Statistics, are of Singapore's population as at the end of June in 2011. ----------------------- At this rate of 100K per year, 6.5 million will be hit in 14 years. Congrats to the government for bringing in more working ants! HUAT AH PAP!

Okay.. i think we have to live with the increase of population.. so let's think positive.. 1) bigger promotions by merchants.. 2) more 24hr shops 3) .....

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big-Story/The-new-population-bomb?utm_campaign=GL_JP_update&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=4&pub_date=20210922090000&seq_num=2&si=44594 The world's population is on the precipice of decline and possible extinction. The new population bomb For the first time, humanity is on the verge of long-term decline KAZUO YANASE, YOHEI MATSUO, EUGENE LANG and ERI SUGIURA, Nikkei staff writersSeptember 22, 2021 06:06 JST TOKYO -- For the past 200 years, a rapidly rising population has consumed the earth's resources, ruined the environment, and started wars. But humanity is about to trade one population bomb for another, and now scientists and policymakers are waking up to a new reality: The world is on the precipice of decline, and possible extinction. The twin forces of economic development and women's empowerment are combining to end the age brought on by the Industrial Revolution, in which economic growth was buoyed by a growing population, and vice versa. Since the early 19th century, the rising tide of humanity has provoked many dire predictions: English economist Thomas Malthus argued as early as 1798 that population would grow so fast it would outstrip food production and lead to famine. In 1972, the Club of Rome warned that humanity would reach the "limits to growth" within 100 years, driven by a relentless rise in the global population and environmental pollution. Today the world's population, which stood as 1 billion in 1800, is now 7.8 billion, and the strain on the planet is clear. But scientists and policymakers are slowly waking up to the new numbers: The population growth rate reached a peak of 2.09% in the late 1960s, but it will fall below 1% in 2023, according to a study by the University of Washington, published last year. In 2017, the growth rate of people aged 15 to 64 -- the working-age population -- fell below 1%. The working-age population has already begun to drop in about a quarter of countries around the world. By 2050, 151 of the world's 195 countries and regions will experience depopulation. Ultimately, the study forecasts that the global population will peak at 9.7 billion in 2064 and then start declining. Over the approximately 300,000 years of human history, cold-weather periods and epidemics have caused temporary drops in population. But now humanity will enter a period of sustained decline for the first time ever, according to Hiroshi Kito, a historical demographer and former president of the University of Shizuoka. South Korea’s total fertility rate was 1.11, Taiwan’s was 1.15 and Japan’s 1.37 was from 2015 to 2020, according to the United Nations "World Population Prospects 2019." © Reuters East Asia is one region that already faces the world's most acute baby bust -- led by South Korea's total fertility rate of 1.11, Taiwan's 1.15 and Japan's 1.37 average from 2015 to 2020, according to the United Nations publication "World Population Prospects 2019." A country's population begins to drop when fertility falls below the so-called replacement rate of 2.1. This has led to labor shortages, pension fund crises and the obsolescence of old economic models. Southeast Asia, which has powered global growth as a part of the "Asian Miracle," is also at a critical juncture. Thailand once had a total fertility rate of more than 6, but it is now 1.53, coming closer to Japan. In 2019, the working-age population began to decline, and the economic growth rate was around 2.4%. That is roughly one-third the 7.5% economic growth the country experienced in the 1970s. Vietnam, meanwhile, became an aging society in 2017. In January the government began raising the retirement age for men and women [now 60 and 55, respectively], in an effort to head off a pension crisis. It will reach 62 for men by 2028 and 60 for women by 2035. Women in Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam became an aging society in 2017. (Photo by Doc Lap Nguyen) But the biggest force behind the "degrowth" trend is China. The University of Washington predicts that its population will begin to drop from next year, and that by 2100 it will plummet to 730 million from the current 1.41 billion. By that same year, 23 countries, including Japan, will see their populations shrink to half their current levels or less, according to Christopher Murray, head of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, who has focused much of his career on improving global health. The University of Washington study comes as a corrective to previous estimates that saw the global population continuing to grow through this century. "World Population Prospects" in 2019 estimated that the population is likely to continue to grow, reaching 10.9 billion by 2100. But new projections show the birthrate in developing countries falling faster than expected. Murray believes global fertility will converge at around 1.5, and likely lower in some countries. "This also means that humanity will eventually disappear in the next hundreds of years," he said. The new reality will create new dynamics -- already visible in some cases -- in areas from monetary policy to pension systems to real estate prices, to the structure of capitalism as a whole. As global population approaches its peak, many governments are increasingly under pressure to rethink their policies, which have so far relied mostly on demographic expansion for their economic growth and geopolitical power. If there are fewer workers, the growth model of the past will no longer function. Social security, such as pensions and public insurance, is premised on a growing population, and it will experience distortions. Falling populations may solve some of the chronic environmental and social problems faced throughout the world. But new challenges await in the era of depopulation: to transform society in such a way that it does not rely on population growth. "This is a turning point for the next system of civilization," said Kito. "It will be the difference between survival and failure." Scientists argue that humanity must now find a new formula for prosperity and that aggregate economic growth is no longer something that can be assumed. Baby bust "If we didn't have children, we could live more freely," said a 41-year-old manager at a major South Korean entertainment company. She has decided not to have children after discussing it with her husband when they married in 2015. Although she likes children, the cost of schooling in South Korea, a society that puts a premium on education, is climbing. Soaring real estate prices and tough employment conditions also make it more difficult to raise children. Many people around her are not even getting married, she said, adding that her sister, an elementary school teacher, has declared she will not wed. South Korea had about 272,400 births in 2020, and its total fertility rate was only 0.84 that year, the lowest in the world. If a country's TFR stays under 1.5 for a long time, it becomes almost impossible to raise it. The growing ranks of educated women explain much of the variation in fertility. In Thailand, 58% of women go on to college or university, a much higher share than men, at 41%. The country's fertility rate was 1.53 in 2020, representing a huge decline over the last few decades. According to a February 2021 report by HSBC, a bank, there is no country with a high fertility rate where the majority of women go on to higher education. "Of course [women having education and access to reproductive health] is a right thing" said Murray, "It is important to think about what to do about fertility so that people don't do wrong things." He added that it would be a "terrible thing" were a country to think of reversing educational opportunities for women in an effort to raise fertility. Commuters head to work in Bangkok on May 21, 2020: The Southeast Asian country has seen its birthrate fall sharply since the 1960s. © AP Efforts to expand social welfare systems such as day care and parental leave don't seem to have much effect on birthrates. Finland, for example, has one of the most comprehensive social welfare systems for mothers and children in the world, yet the country's fertility rate has declined sharply. At 1.37 in 2020, it is nearly as low as Japan's rate of 1.34 for the same year. "There is no definitive answer to why the fertility rate has declined over the past decade," said Venla Berg, a research director at the Family Federation of Finland, a nongovernmental organization that provides advice on family planning policies. While currently nearly one in four people in their 20s in Finland say that they don't want children, "there are also people who usually have less children than they wish for," said Berg. "If people would have the number of children they want, that would bring up fertility to around 1.6 to 1.8," she said. "This would still result in population decline, but the pace would be gradual [and] make it possible to maintain the social welfare system," Berg added. The coronavirus pandemic has further dented population growth. The number of births in Japan in 2020 was the lowest on record, down 3% from the previous year, while U.S. births were down 4% from the previous year, the lowest in 41 years. Many people decided not to have children because of concerns about employment and medical care. According to the Brookings Institution, a U.S. think tank, a 1 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate leads to a 1% fall in the birthrate. The COVID-19 pandemic has further dented population growth, with many couples putting off having children due to fears about their job prospects. © AP The "Japan disease" "The U.S. and Europe are more or less following the same path as the Japanese one," said former Bank of Japan Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa in April before a select committee in the House of Lords in the British Parliament. He was referring to an economic and monetary phenomenon that has steadily gained attention in the U.S. and Europe, where aggressive monetary easing has not led to higher growth rates, nor ignited major price inflation. The cause may be demographic: Stagnation and deflation appeared to come with a shrinking population. When Shirakawa described Japan's declining and aging population, some members of parliament voiced concerns about "Japanification." “The U.S. and Europe are more or less following the same path as the Japanese one,” former Bank of Japan Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa told the House of Lords in April. (File photo by Masayuki Kozono) In the 1960s, Japan experienced high economic growth rates of over 10%. However, when the working-age population began to decline in the late 1990s, the growth rate slowed to the mid-1% range. It has remained low since then and nearly immune to two decades of efforts to stimulate the economy. The same dynamics may be at work in Europe as early as next year: The population will begin to drop in 2022, according to "World Population Prospects 2019." The European Central Bank believes inflation in 2023 will be far short of its 2% goal. According to an index by Dutch financial giant ING, the eurozone has been showing signs of Japanification since 2013. The most overheated period for the global economy was in the early 1970s, when the global population was growing by 2% per year. Economic growth averaged about 4%, and inflation was 10% per year. This was the "golden age of welfare," when developed countries expanded their social safety nets one after another. But cracks are appearing in a system premised on high growth and high inflation. Global population growth has slowed to 1%, and economic growth and inflation have both slowed to between 2% and 3%. Interest rates have fallen to historic lows, casting doubts over the sustainability of pension systems. In its 2020 report, "Shrinkanomics (the economics of a shrinking population)," the International Monetary Fund noted that a falling population can "impinge on the effectiveness of monetary policy," citing Japan as an example. Even with low-interest rates, capital investment will not increase if companies do not expect the economy to grow. The government can increase public investment, but this will only lead to an increase in government debt if the investments are not put to use. Continued stimulus measures probably won't make up for the effects of a declining population, said Daniel Groh of the Center for European Policy Studies. To overcome the Japanese disease, it is essential to invest in growth sectors to reverse shrinking demand. Digital transformation and upskilling of workers will raise productivity, while innovation is needed to meet the challenge of an aging population. Traditional economic policies need to be fundamentally rethought. Advancement and uncertainty "A few years ago, we would get three times more recruits than we could accept," observed an employee with a staffing company in Vietnam that recruits workers for Japan's Technical Intern Training Program. "These days, we can barely get twice as many. Within five years, the number of people working away from home may start to drop." Many Asian economies have experienced this phenomenon already, known in economics as the Lewis turning point, after British economist W. Arthur Lewis. Workers migrate from rural areas to cities, supporting economic growth by working for low wages. Eventually, growth stops because of rising wages and a shrinking labor force. The answer, in many cases has been immigrants, which have contributed to growth in developed countries after population growth slowed. According to the U.N., there were 281 million international migrants in 2020, 1.6 times more than roughly 20 years earlier. Border restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted how dependent some countries have become on foreign workers. In the U.K. after Brexit, the combination of immigration restrictions and the pandemic has led to a severe labor shortage. Before the pandemic, 12% of heavy truck drivers were from the European Union. © AP Without immigration, many advanced economies already cannot sustain their labor pool. In the U.K. after Brexit, the combination of immigration restrictions and the pandemic has led to a severe labor shortage. Before the pandemic, 12% of heavy truck drivers were from the European Union. However, drivers can no longer be hired from outside the country under the U.K.'s new standards. According to the British Road Haulage Association, the country faces a shortage of more than 100,000 commercial heavy truck drivers. Logistics companies are becoming desperate, raising hourly wages by 30%. The lack of immigration may not be a temporary phenomenon. The countries with the most outbound immigrants are seeing their young populations decline. The number of Indians between the ages of 15 and 29 will peak in 2025. In China that cohort will drop by about 20% in the next 30 years. The Philippines, one of the biggest labor-exporting countries in the world, where about 10% of the population is thought to work abroad, is also showing signs of reversing course to focus on domestic production. The country is increasing the amount of domestic contract work, such as call centers. The incoming amount of overseas remittances grew by over 7% year-on-year in the first half of the 2010s, but that slowed to 3% in 2018. Some countries have already started trying to secure workers. Germany increased its acceptance of non-EU workers in 2020. In 2019, Australia increased the maximum length of working holidays from two years to three, on the condition that people work for a set period of time in sectors where there is a labor shortage, such as agriculture. Japan also is bringing in more foreign workers through the "specified skilled worker" system. Economic forces may drive a new competition among nations for immigrants. One key is to become a "country of choice." "A policy of actively accepting immigrants means it is important to expand the options for foreign workers to settle and live in a country permanently," said Keizo Yamawaki, a professor at Meiji University in Tokyo who specializes in immigration policy. Getting old before getting rich Asia's baby boomers are reaching retirement age, and the population as a whole is growing older, and governments have experienced a rapid increase in social security spending, including for pensions and medical care. With an over-65 population of more than 21% and a per capita gross domestic product of above $44,000, Japan has become a "super-aged society." When the working-age population and companies can no longer support the social security system, government funding becomes the only option. In China, the number of births skyrocketed after the Great Chinese Famine of 1959 to 1961, and the total population increased by about 190 million in the following decade. China's baby boom generation, which is 1.5 times the size of Japan's total population, will begin to reach the retirement age of 60 next year. The burden of this mass retirement will fall on a society of the "unwealthy elderly," who will grow old before they become wealthy. China faces the prospect of growing old before it becomes wealthy enough to pay for the pensions of the coming wave of elderly retirees. © AP "It's a hard life," said Chen, 59, who lives in a farming village in China's eastern Jiangsu Province. He works as a plasterer, building brick houses. Chen suffers from a chronic illness, but with no pension he does not plan on retiring when he turns 60 this year. He stayed in the village instead of moving to a city so he could take care of his parents. China's transition to a market economy since the 1980s sent migrant workers streaming to cities. Families in rural areas are increasingly unable to support their elderly relatives. Just over 70% of the population has joined the pension system that was set up in 2009. Its benefits are about 10% the average income of the working-age population. An insurance system for elderly care, like that of Japan, is still in the trial stage. Reforms to make it easier for people to work, regardless of age, are also lagging in Asia. In South Korea, about 8 million people born between 1955 and 1963 are entering retirement. The country urgently needs to raise the retirement age, currently 60, but the debate is not making progress. Raising the retirement age would make it more difficult for young people, already struggling, to find work. Young Koreans are already skeptical of the administration of President Moon Jae-in, and making the labor market more perilous could lead to an even greater backlash. Companies concerned about growing labor costs also oppose lifting the retirement age. In Taiwan, the average retirement age is 56. Over 40% of those aged 55 to 59 are no longer working. Many married couples in Taiwan who both work full time retire early to take responsibility for raising their grandchildren. This division of labor has long supported the economy, but the declining birthrate will disrupt this model of early retirement, too. The "Labor Insurance" system, a pension system, now faces the possibility of financial collapse in 2026. Even developed countries that have grown rich before growing old are not immune to these challenges. The social security systems in Japan, Canada and European countries are based on the principle of intergenerational support, in which the working-age population supports retirees. With the birthrate declining, the only way to sustain pensions without increasing the burden on the public is to increase investment returns. However, a shrinking population also weakens the economy's ability to grow, creating a vicious cycle that has spurred historic drops in interest rates. The only way to maintain social security in an era of declining populations is to keep the economy growing by raising labor productivity. Only those countries and regions that take on these reforms will be able to ensure security in old age for their citizens. Shifting power and shared values Paul Morland of St Antony's College, Oxford University, argues in his 2019 book "The Human Tide," that many of the wars of the last two centuries were triggered by the threat of growing populations in neighboring countries. In the approach to World War I, for example, the British and French were particularly nervous about Germany's industrial and demographic might. The Germans, meanwhile, were constantly looking at the enormous size of Russia, which was starting to industrialize very quickly, Morland writes. But "by itself, demography does not create power," Morland points out. For instance, China has always been the most populous country in the world. But it was powerless before Europe and Japan in the early 20th century. "However demography is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for power. Without its great population, China would not have been able to become a great power once it roused itself organizationally and industrially." China, whose rise has been largely supported by its massive workforce, could face a turning point in the coming decades as its population faces a sharp drop. Beijing published its national population census in May, which showed the average annual growth rate at 0.53% over the past 10 years, the slowest pace in decades. [img]https://www.ft.com/__origami/service/image/v2/images/raw/https%253A%252F%252Fs3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com%252Fpsh-ex-ftnikkei-3937bb4%252Fimages%252F_aliases%252Farticleimage%252F6%252F5%252F8%252F9%252F36509856-1-eng-GB%252F%25E5%2590%258D%25E7%25A7%25B0%25E6%259C%25AA%25E8%25A8%25AD%25E5%25AE%259A%252012.jpg?source=nar-cms[/img] Paul Morland of Oxford University says demography is necessary, but not sufficient, for geopolitical heft; Yi Fuxian a scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says China overstates its population. Yi Fuxian, a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, believes China's demographic constraints will deal a heavy blow to its economy. "China's current GDP per capita is only 16% that of the U.S. In the future, China is facing an economic recession due to aging," he said. "Without an increase in the number of births, the economic growth rate cannot be raised and the country can never surpass the U.S. in terms of GDP in the future," he added. A longtime critic of China's one-child policy, Yi thinks that China's population has been in decline since 2018. While the official population figure in 2020 stood at 1.41 billion, he thinks it was actually 1.28 billion, or around 130 million "surplus" people. "India's population should already be larger than China's," which would make it the world's most populous country, he said. The authorities' announcement of population growth comes as "they probably have judged that they would face unprecedented political upheaval if they published it in a proper way," Yi said. In a country where the idea of having only one child is taken for granted, "the number of births will continue to decline," he stressed. Although the Asian superpower scrapped its decades-old one-child policy in 2015, replacing it with a two-child limit, it struggles to sustain a surge in births. Beijing recently mandated a three-child limit just weeks after publishing the census. The political agenda behind the official Chinese data is clear. Admitting that the population has suddenly dropped would mean laying bare past policy failures. Multiple research organizations estimate that China's GDP will surpass that of the U.S. around 2030, but Yi believes that China's population data overestimate the actual number of people by more than 100 million, thus the U.S. and China will not trade places in their GDP ranking. Although China scrapped the one-child policy in 2016, replacing it with a two-child limit, it has not seen a sharp rise in births as a result of the change. © Reuters The authorities have banned Yi's book, "Big Country With an Empty Nest" in China. In response to Western media reports that "China is facing a population crisis," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said: "China's population continues to grow, and is larger than that of the U.S. and Europe combined." China is not the only large country whose geopolitical heft is threatened by demographics. According to the U.N., Russia's population will drop by about 20 million by 2100. Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared this to be a crisis: "Our historic duty is to respond to this challenge," Putin said in 2020 television address. "Russia's fate and its historic prospects depend on how many of us there are." The U.S. will also enter a period of demographic decline which will have massive economic consequences. U.S. economic growth has slowed, and wealth has become more unevenly distributed, unleashing a wave of "America First" populism and nationalism. Military power has also shifted. Rather than being a numbers game of troops, tanks, ships and planes, military power is now a contest of quality. The era when population was directly linked to military and economic power has passed. Just as democracy and capitalism won the Cold War through the superiority of their systems, nations are now competing to construct a framework that can achieve prosperity without relying on sheer numbers of people. The future will belong to those societies that can restructure to face decline before it is too late.

Latest post to this saga: click here http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2695472-singapore-should-plan-for-population-of-10m/page-22?do=findComment&comment=5613410 http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...tal/827992.html what are your views? considering the previous hoohaa about the population white paper.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/e...21700123_1.html Nayanima Basu | New Delhi February 17, 2013 Last Updated at 12:17 IST Govt decries CECA violation by Singapore The country has imposed restrictions on inflow of foreign workers, which is going to affect Indians working there Those of you planning to make it big in Singapore might be in for a setback. Singapore recently made certain changes to its Employment Pass Framework law to reduce inflow of foreign workers significantly to create more job opportunities for local professionals. The move is expected to impact even those Indians working there at present across various sectors. The amendments, made on a proposal by its Ministry of Manpower, has armed the Singapore government to bring down the foreign share of the total workforce to around one-third while encouraging employers to invest in productivity in return for incentives in the form of tax breaks. The move came as a recent Singapore's policy paper predicted that its population would grow by 30 per cent to 6.9 million by 2030, with immigrants making up nearly half that figure. The paper led to demonstrations in Singapore yesterday, a rare happening in the country, in protest against rise in immigrants. The step has irked India as the new law does not give India a preferential treatment incorporated in the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CECA) between the two countries, operational since 2005. This stance by the Singapore Government is expected to affect Indians working as middle-level managers, executives and technicians. Speculations are rife that India might take up the issue with World Trade Organization

You can't keep the rich down for long. Global wealth made a remarkable comeback in 2009, increasing by 11.5% to $111.5 trillion. That's according to a new report, The Boston Consulting Group's Global Wealth 2010 Report, released Thursday by Boston Consulting Group. The report breaks down wealth by region and by country, creating a geographic portrait of where the world's wealth is accumulating and at what rate. North America posted the largest absolute gain in households with assets under management. Its wealth totaled $4.6 trillion (a 15% jump over 2008). But the largest percentage gain occurred in Asia-Pacific, where wealth skyrocketed by 22%, or $3.1 trillion. That's nearly double the global rate. Latin American household asset growth rose by 16% to $3.4 billion, and Europe, despite the massive debt problems it now faces, was the wealthiest region with more than $37 trillion in assets under management, an increase of 8.8% from 2008. Millionaires Hold 38% of Global Wealth Boston Consulting Group's report includes a revealing list countries with the highest percentage of millionaire households, but before getting to that, here are some interesting tidbits: The number of millionaire households in the world represents less than 1% of all households. Even so, these most fortunate ones owned about 38% of the world's wealth in 2009, up from 36% in 2008. In North America, Africa and the Middle East, millionaire households represented more than half of the wealth in those regions. Another juicy morsel: The number of millionaire households rose by 14% in 2009 to 11.2 million, and the U.S. had by far the most millionaire households, with 4.7 million. But that doesn't mean millionaires are crowding U.S. streets or that sumptuous yachts dominate the nation's waterways. In fact, you're more likely to find those conditions in Singapore, which had the highest percentage of millionaire households in the world. Yes, that puts Singapore at the top of Boston Consulting Group list of the top 10 countries with the greatest proportion of millionaire households. You may be surprised by the full run-down: 1) Singapore Population: 4.7 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 11.4% Who would think the tiny Republic of Singapore would be crammed with so many millionaires? The country, all of just 247 square miles, has emerged from the recession and has rebounded in a big way. Its GDP, exports and manufacturing are all rising, and so, too, are home prices. That has led Singapore to boast the highest concentration of millionaires anywhere on the planet. Among its very rich: Ng Teng Fong, a real estate tycoon, and Wee Cho Yaw, who runs United Overseas Bank, one of Singapore's big lenders. 2) Hong Kong Population: 7.1 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 8.8% Hong Kong, the home of Li Ka-shing, who runs conglomerates Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa, had 205,000 millionaire households in 2009 and takes the number two spot for percentage of millionaire households. Hong Kong's close relationship with mainland China brings benefits and risks, but it's been good for many of the wealthiest, who made their money by investing in a real estate market that has no shortage of swanky hotels and malls. 3) Switzerland Population: 7.6 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 8.4% The Swiss economy is recovering from slow growth during the recession, but a good many of its citizens thrived during the upswing, bringing it to third place in percentage of millionaire households. The country boasts 285,000 of them, up 19.5% from 2008. Driving the recovery: manufacturing, rising exports and consumer spending. Among the country's rich: Swiss biotech tycoon Ernesto Bertarelli, who is, perhaps, better known for winning the America's Cup in 2003. 4) Kuwait Population: 2.8 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 8.2% The rising price of oil has led to more millionaires in this tiny country. With some 100 billion barrels of crude, Kuwait has been growing rapidly. But the oil-dependent nation now plans to spend up to $140 billion over the next five years to diversify away from oil and to attract more investment -- a move that could help it ascend this list's ranks. Such a strategy may help billionaire Nasser Al Kharafi, chairman of one of the most diversified and largest conglomerates in the Arab world. His food division, Americana, has the Middle East franchise rights to KFC, Wimpy, TGI Fridays and Pizza Hut, among others. 5) Qatar Population: 841,000 Percentage of Millionaire Households: 7.4% Qatar's economy expanded by about 8.7% last year, thanks to growth in the natural gas business. That helped the country, already the world's largest gas exporter, to emerge from the global economic crisis pretty much unscathed, leaving many of its millionaire households in good stead. Among its megarich: Bader Al Darwish, with a fortune of about $1.7 billion. Al Darwish runs Darwish Holdings, which operates businesses including real estate, investments and retail services. 6) United Arab Emirates Population: 4.9 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 6.2% As the world's third-largest oil exporter, the UAE's economic growth is expected to rise to 3.2% this year, after posting a 1.3% increase in 2009,. Like others, its oil business has generated wealth among its citizens. It also helps that UAE isn't expected to suffer from the eurozone debt crisis. The country is home to Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair and his family, who run Mashreqbank and the second-largest flour milling company in the Mideast, as well as megamalls. 7) United States Population: 310.2 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 4.1% The 4.7 million U.S. millionaires in 2009 was up by 15.1% over 2008. But as a market percentage, the U.S. falls relatively low on the top 10 list. The country, which is home to two of the world's wealthiest people, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, saw its economy bounce back in 2009 from the year before as the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 40%. By the end of 2009, the economy grew at its fastest pace in more than six years, even though many businesses put the brakes on hiring. 8) Belgium Population: 10.4 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 3.5% Suffering from spiraling debt andpolitical problems, Belgium still managed to hold on to a number of millionaires. The country has set a goal of getting its budget deficit to 4.8% of GDP in 2010, which is far below Europe's average. But Belgium's total debt will rise above 100% of GDP, placing it behind only Greece and Italy. The debt crisis in Europe will also likely take a toll on the country's economy in 2010. The good news is that Belgium has a trade surplus, and household savings are high. Among its richest: Albert Frere, who founded the media, utilities and oil conglomerate, Compagnie Nationale a Portefeuille. 9) Israel Population: 7.4 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 3.3% Unlike other markets, the story in Israel wasn't about rising real estate values or credit, but about gains in technology, which some say will help lead the country to continued economic growth. While 2009 was a good year for the economy, the current eurozone crisis could hurt Israeli exports because about 33% of them go to Europe. Rich man in Israel: shipping tycoon Sammy Ofer, worth north of $6 billion. 10) Taiwan Population: 23 million Percentage of Millionaire Households: 3% Taiwan may be last on the top 10 list -- but that's still quite a feat. The country was hit hard by the recession mostly because its economy depends on trade. But as the world economy skittishly improves, Taiwanese families have seen their fortunes rise. The country now has some 230,000 millionaire households. That's an increase of 22.1% over 2008. One of its richest is Terry Gou of Foxconn, a maker of electronics for Apple (AAPL), Nokia (NOK), Nintendo and others. That company has been in the news recently because 13 of its workers have committed suicide or tried to. Sources: Population figures: The CIA World Factbook Percentage of millionaire households: The Boston Consulting Group's Global Wealth 2010 Report. Original Link

After watching the video, i realised we are fortunate to live in Singapore

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/video/rat-infestation-blankets-ground-near-224930374.html Another symptom of deteriorating living environment with the wholesale import of people..... and people sleeping on the job until kena face-booked.

Hmm, Ah Lui is a very efficient minister who has already concluded that the above red and blue suggestions are unfeasible. PS: Those who post "tuck yew... tuck yew", you know he's watching hor.

Singapore's private car population has fallen to its lowest level since 2011, and the shrinkage could continue. The latest available figures from the Land Transport Authority show that there were 598,219 cars as of the end of last month - down from 600,176 last year. The number stood at 607,292 in 2013, and 605,149 in 2012. The car population is now at its lowest since 2011, when there were 592,361 cars on the road. The shrinkage is a rare occurrence in Singapore, where a quota system allows the vehicle population to grow annually at a pre-determined rate. Observers said the contraction is a sign that the supply of certificates of entitlement (COEs) is lagging behind actual replacement demand. Since 2010, COE supply has been formulated largely by the number of cars scrapped in the preceding months. This often does not correspond with the number of cars scrapped in the following months. For instance, last year's May-July COE quota for cars was determined by the 7,083 cars scrapped from February to April. But actual scrappage from May to July was higher at 7,514. Over time, this leads to a population shrinkage http://straitstimes.com/news/singapore/transport/story/fewer-cars-the-road-coes-play-catch-20150226

For the first time in more than 10 years, we are seeing fewer vehicles on the roads, which is attributed to government's intent to cut annual growth rate from 3 per cent down to nought-point-five. Singapore's rental car population in contrast grew by 6.5 per cent, effectively doubling the rental fleet over a nine-year period. A rental co spokesman puts the demand down to large number of foreigners coming here to live and work. Given a smaller annual vehicle population growth rate vis-a-vis an expending car rental population, we could safely infer a small percentage of Singaporean motorists have given up on car ownership. Should the trend continues we might see an easing of COE premiums gradually over the coming years when the bulk of vehicles reached their 10th year mark. Let's pray...

Adrian Lim | MyPaper | Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 SINGAPORE - The average age of Singapore's passenger-car population is the oldest in a decade, and motor workshops and automotive parts suppliers are seeing a boom in business. Last year, the average age of the car population hit 5.57 years, after steadily climbing from 2.67 years in 2007. It is a trend which industry players said will persist, as high certificate of entitlement (COE) prices and loan curbs make people hold on to their cars longer. The average age of 5.57 years is the oldest in a decade, and up from 4.89 years in 2012, going by an analysis provided by global automotive supplier ZF to MyPaper. The analysis was based on Land Transport Authority (LTA) statistics, which also showed that the number of cars aged between nine and 10 years nearly tripled last year, to 23,039 from 8,089 the year before. Cars aged between eight and nine years also showed a marked increase, to 84,212 from 29,983. Aftermarket workshops and parts suppliers are seeing a surge in business. Mr Joey Lim, managing director of Harmony Motor, said that compared to three years ago, business volume has increased by around 50 per cent. "It's definitely due to the ages of the cars. People are keeping their cars for longer, and have to spend more on maintenance. We are seeing more repair jobs related to wear and tear," he added. His operations are at "maximum capacity" and he has difficulty hiring more car mechanics due to the foreign labour curbs. Mr Markus Wittig, ZF Asia-Pacific's regional general manager for aftermarket sales, said the company has seen "double-digit growth" in sales annually for the last three years, with Singapore being a key contributor. ZF supplies components to car manufacturers such as Ford, Audi and BMW, and has about 20 dealers in Singapore which serve up to 200 workshops. Mr Wittig added that Singapore drivers cover about 20,000km a year, much more than their counterparts in Britain and Australia, who cover only 10,825km and 14,000km, respectively. Additionally, the high frequency of stop-and-go traffic here also significantly increases the rate of wear and tear of a car's undercarriage, he noted. Transport expert Lee Der Horng from the National University of Singapore said that in the past, when COE prices were comparatively lower, owners tended to change their cars every three to five years, or when warranty periods were up. They also took advantage of periods of low interest rates to buy a new car and take out a new loan. Professor Lee said a supply glut in COEs can be expected in the next two to three years, as the huge numbers of older cars reach the 10-year mark and will likely be deregistered. "Depending on whether the Government releases the scrapped supply back, the COE price may become unstable," he said. Additional reporting by Lim Yi Han.

Almost half the growth rate of past 10yrs! Look at the chart... New population target

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking...nemap-20130617 Government just introduces a new function for Onemap to allow user to study the demographic of the country. the Central area are relatively less dense than the OCR ... And looks like it probably easier to get into school like Ai Tong/ MGS / RGS than Nan chia , Rosyth, yulang.. looking at the distribution of 0-4 year olds.

The 3G is getting slower thru a bottleneck due to the over demand of subscription & 4G is also not that fast too.our island is small with so many ISP zapping their waves in the air.wifi is still the best speed after all.

vasantham debate on foreigners 6.9mil wah, only vasantham got balls sia! very epic, very candid, no holds barred one! got substitles

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/06/...N0B65NW20130206 Whoa... mai sng sng... Someone on the ball planning public protest!! Who's going??? PS - Mods, if this is considered another dupe thread, then pls do the necessary.

they conduct a live poll, and get this! hahaha a nice slap in their face

Bloomberg-Singapore's Pop bubble Singapore

Sounds familiar? http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?StoryId=8321 Bernie Madoff's recent Ponzi scheme has drifted out of the world’s headlines. However, there is another even more costly and widespread scheme — "Ponzi Demography" — that warrants everybody’s attention. While it may come in many guises, Ponzi demography is essentially a pyramid scheme that attempts to make more money for some by adding on more and more people through population growth. While more visible in industrialized economies, particularly in Australia, Canada and the United States, Ponzi demography also operates in developing countries. The underlying strategy of Ponzi demography is to privatize the profits and socialize the costs incurred from increased population growth. The basic pitch of those promoting Ponzi demography is straightforward and intoxicating in its pro-population growth appeal: “more is better.” However, as somebody who has spent a lifelong career as a demographer, including 12 years of service as the director of the United Nations Population Division, I find that more is not necessarily better. As has been noted by Nobel laureate economists Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen as well as many others, current economic yardsticks such as gross domestic product (GDP) focus on material consumption and do not include quality-of-life factors. Standard measures of GDP do not reflect, for example, the degradation of the environment, the depreciation of natural resources or declines in individuals’ quality of life. According to Ponzi demography, population growth — through natural increase and immigration — means more people leading to increased demands for goods and services, more material consumption, more borrowing, more on credit and of course more profits. Everything seems fantastic for a while — but like all Ponzi schemes, Ponzi demography is unsustainable. When the bubble eventually bursts and the economy sours, the scheme spirals downward with higher unemployment, depressed wages, falling incomes, more people sinking into debt, more homeless families — and more men, women and children on public assistance. That is the stage when the advocates of Ponzi demography — notably enterprises in construction, manufacturing, finance, agriculture and food processing — consolidate their excess profits and gains. That leaves the general public to pick up the tab for the mounting costs from increased population growth (e.g., education, health, housing and basic public services). Among its primary tactics, Ponzi demography exploits the fear of population decline and aging. Without a young and growing population, we are forewarned of becoming a nation facing financial ruin and a loss of national power. Due to population aging, government-run pensions and healthcare systems will become increasingly insolvent, according to advocates of Ponzi demography, thereby crippling the economy, undermining societal well-being and threatening national security. Low birth rates, especially those below replacement levels, are considered a matter of national concern. Without higher fertility rates and the resulting population growth, the nation, it is claimed, faces a bleak and dreary future. So Ponzi demography calls for pro-natalist policies and programs to encourage couples to marry and to have more children, which will lead to the promised sustained economic growth. In addition to financial incentives and other benefits for childbearing, appeals are also made to one's patriotic duty to have children in order to replenish and expand the homeland: “Have one (child) for mum, one for dad and one for the country.” In addition to measures to increase fertility levels, Ponzi demography also turns to immigration for additional population growth in order to boost companies' profits. The standard slogan in this instance is “the country urgently needs increased immigration,” even when immigration may already be at record levels and unemployment rates are high. Among other things, increased immigration, it is declared, is a matter of national security, long-term prosperity and international competitiveness. Without this needed immigration, Ponzi demography warns that the country’s future is at serious risk. Another basic tactic of Ponzi demography is a pervasive and unrelenting public relations campaign promoting the advantages and necessity of an increasing population for continued economic growth. Every effort is made to equate population growth with economic prosperity and national progress. "Economic growth requires population growth" is the basic message that Ponzi demography wants the public to swallow. No mention is made of the additional profits they reap and the extra costs the public bears. Attempts to question or even discuss Ponzi demography are denigrated and defamed to such an extent that concerns about population growth become radioactive. Politicians, journalists and environmentalists, for example, choose by and large to sidestep the entire issue. When confronted with environmental concerns such as climate change, global warming, environmental contamination or shortages of water and other vital natural resources, the advocates of Ponzi demography typically dismiss such concerns as unfounded and overblown. And they claim there is no scientific basis, or they obliquely stress “innovation,” ingenuity and technological fixes as the only appropriate and workable solutions. Many are complicit with Ponzi demography or at least tacitly support its goals. Few politicians, for example, are able to resist promises of campaign financing, the appeal of increased numbers of supportive voters, prospects of increased tax revenues and the political backing of pro-natalist and pro-immigration lobbyists and special interest groups. Many environmental groups are also reluctant to take up or even touch the volatile subject of population growth, especially those that have been burned on this issue in the past. Such groups fear possibly offending some members and donors, which might undercut their organizations and efforts. Despite its snake-oil allure of “more is better,” Ponzi demography’s advocacy for ever-increasing population growth is ultimately unsustainable. Such persistent growth hampers efforts to improve the quality of life for today’s world population of nearly seven billion people as well as for future generations. Moving gradually towards population stabilization, while not a panacea for the world’s problems, will make it far easier to address problems such as climate change, environmental degradation, poverty and development, human rights abuses and shortages of water, food and critical natural resources. Fortunately, most couples around the world have chosen — or are in the process of choosing — to have a few children rather than many and to invest more in each child’s upbringing, education and future well-being. Nations need to make the same vital transition with respect to their populations. The sooner nations reject Ponzi demography and make the needed gradual transition from ever-increasing population growth to population stabilization, the better the prospects for all of humanity and other life on this planet.