Empty Planet

I was really torn on giving this a 3 v a 4. On the one hand the main thesis of the book is fascinating and is definitely worth knowing about. On the other hand the book was haphazard at places and didn't need to be as long as it was. For most people I would just recommend listen to a podcast that interviews the author.

Bricker and Ibbitson make a convincing case that the human birthrate has pretty much dropped below replacement rate and will continue to drop. In other words, the population bomb has fizzled.
This trend is mainly driven by urbanization and education of women. Why? Simply put, in an urban environment children are an economic drag, and enlightened women really don't want to stay barefoot and pregnant. Another factor is a reduction in the coercive power of major religions.
The birthrate fall is documented everywhere but is unevenly distributed. There is considerable hysteresis in the global population trend and the total population will continue to rise for a couple of decades before it starts falling. (For example, the mini bomb from the children of the baby bombers still has to work its way out.) However, the birthrate numbers are convincing and in some areas – Europe, Japan, China, etc. – an ageing population is already beginning to be a problem.
The authors zero in on various countries and regions, providing interesting and informative details. Their argument is heavily documented and quite compelling.
Overall, reduction of the global population can only be considered a good thing. However, there will be some serious problems along the way.
A good and informative read. Solid 4 stars.