Shape of Things to Come-Demographic Decline, Economic Stagnation, and Geopolitical Instability

Birthrates have collapsed across much of the world. Most developed countries, including the United Status, face a future of population aging and slowing economic growth. Workforces will shrink, fiscal burdens will rise, and public debt will mount. Zero-sum isolationism and protective trade barriers may spread. While populations in some parts of the merging world are still growing (e.g. Sub-Saharan Africa), others (e.g. China, Russia, Iran) are experiencing unprecedented demographic decline. All of this could be destabilizing. Our presenters examine how demographic trends are reshaping the economic and geopolitical landscape of the 21st Century. They will also explore possible strategies for staving off demographic and economic decline, from enacting pro-natal policies to increasing migration and extending work lives.