Ageing population is the increasing average age of a population. This is usually caused by falling fertility rates and rising life expectancy. Many consider it a sign of wealth, while others a negative global phenomenon which is leading our society to ruin. Here is a list of the pros and cons of an ageing population.

Pros

Increase in number of volunteers: as people retire, they find themselves with a huge amount of free time. Many decide to spend it while being helpful tosociety. Therefore, they often volunteer, helping their local community for free.

Increase in being environmentally friendly: older people are more sedentary than young people, meaning they consume less. Having an ageing population would mean the emission of CO2 would fall, having a positive effect on the environment and global warming.

Cons

Declining labour productivity: as the population gets older, less people are economically active, meaning less people actually work. This results in not having enough manforce and manual labour, possibly causing a labour crisis. 

Potential less funding for young people: with more old people than young, governments will shift their focus on the old and retired, possibly funding more leisure activities or travelling. This means that less funding will be allocated to young people,in areas like education, resulting in a less cultured generation.

Moreover, an ageing population has both positives and negatives, which may vary from country to country.The question remains, will we live better with older people or is it going to make the global economy collapse?

Bibliography

“The Five Advantages of Ageing.” Swiss Life Group, 20 Mar. 2017, www.swisslife.com/en/home/blog/five-advantages-of-ageing.html. 

Borji, H.S. “4 Global Economic Issues of an Aging Population.” Investopedia, Investopedia, www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/011216/4-global-economic-issues-aging-population.asp. Accessed 23 Nov. 2023.