More climate change discussion

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190920-the-couples-reconsidering-kids-because-of-climate-change

Is this too extreme?

How many children do you think you'll have?

Is it fair to bring children into this world?

Hi John,
Unfortunately, I do not believe that this is too extreme. I wish that we didn't have to go this way but it does feel like one of the possibilities. I feel like this is an extremely difficult conversation to have. I always thought that I would have kids and that I'd probably (hopefully) be a great mom but what's the point when you see how negative and unhealthy is the World we currently live in. I always have this question in my head thinking that I should be living my best life, not caring and be dead in a few decades vs would it have more sense to keep fighting daily for things I believe in.
Also, should we really have more kids when there are already so many without families that we could take care of?
I could go when further on this subject but some thoughts are just too negative to be shared ahaha
One part I really agreed on was the following:
"The point isn’t to be prescriptive, but to facilitate dialogue. “The end goal isn’t more kids or fewer kids or anything like that,” Kallman says, “the end goal is a healthier world where we can all make decisions that are healthy for us.” "

I would love to read the opinion of others on this subject!
One thing that we should talk about more as well is the need to stop shaming people who don't want to have kids. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY FINE. Human are not less human because they don't want to have kids

hi!
I think like Amélie, this subject is not too extreme, but I thought this is very complicated. For me, I do not think really about the number of children will. For me, have children is a choice very important, it's a big Changement in a life. The first thing when I think to have children, it's to know if I will be a good father, and not the impact on the planet but it's true every child have an impact of the world, little but an impact. And if some people don't want to have children because of their impact on the planet, some children don't have the chance to have a family. It's a very difficult subject but talk to people about the choice to have children, to the impact they can have, good or bad is important.
I agree with Amélie, some people don't want to have kids, it's not a bad thing.

Would I sound mad to you if I told you I already thought about it?

I always thought about my "grown-up self" (it is grammatically right?) as a mom but these past days with everything we hear about environmental issues (yes it's my current favorite subject) I'm re-thinking about it.
Not especially because my hypothetical child would be a massive polluter but I'm asking myself : would it be fair for me to give birth to a child in a unsafe world?

By unsafe I mean different things :
- if there would be enough water to everybody?
- if the climate would not be to extreme? Do you know in Qatar for example it can reach 50°C if the afternoon? It sounds inhuman for me to live in this extreme heat without an air conditioner.
- if he/she/they (hey Amélie I remember your article from last week ) would be happy to live in such a polluting system?
- if I would be a good mom to ask him/her/them not to live the way I used to do in order "to save" the world?

Pleasssssssse don't say I'm crazy. Maybe I'm just overthinking or overreacting?
Tell me what you think
Have a nice day

Amelie Trarieux wrote:Hi John,
Unfortunately, I do not believe that this is too extreme. I wish that we didn't have to go this way but it does feel like one of the possibilities. I  feel like this is an extremely difficult conversation to have. I always thought that I would have kids and that I'd probably (hopefully) be a great mom but what's the point when you see how negative and unhealthy is the World we currently live in. I always have this question in my head thinking that I should be living my best life, not caring and be dead in a few decades vs would it have more sense to keep fighting daily for things I believe in.
Also, should we really have more kids when there are already so many without families that we could take care of?
I could go when further on this subject but some thoughts are just too negative to be shared ahaha
One part I really agreed on was the following:
"The point isn’t to be prescriptive, but to facilitate dialogue. “The end goal isn’t more kids or fewer kids or anything like that,” Kallman says, “the end goal is a healthier world where we can all make decisions that are healthy for us.” "

I would love to read the opinion of others on this subject!
One thing that we should talk about more as well is the need to stop shaming people who don't want to have kids. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY FINE. Human are not less human because they don't want to have kids

I forget to tell how much I loved your post Amélie. Such a good open-minded heartfelt human you are!

Hello everyone,

I find it extreme as a reaction.

I’m coming for a country, which has one of the lowest pointer natality/ birth-rate in Europe.
The future is uncertain because of the economic problems and the capitalistic crises. A lot of couples can’t afford the birth and the raising of a child (economically speaking).
This is extremely sad.
When you want to have a baby and you don’t have an option.

Some parents in ‘the modern way of living’ focus on their careers, they are working a lot and they don’t find time for their children.
This is sad too.
A loss of responsibility leads in wrong ways of raising kids.

Some couples may find responsible, the avoidance of a birth because of the climate change.
Far from this, people can choose how they want to spend their lives, with or without kids. It's their decision and we shouldn't judge them.
So, I agree with you Amelie 'Human are not less human because they don't want to have kids'
Ηοwever, environmental Problems doesn't consists an excuse if a couple want really have children, for my point of view always.

I think the development of science –technology with alternative sources of energy and the education of eco-friendly consumers-people can give breaths in the life of our planet.
I'm not pessimist yet! Earth isn’t dead yet!

Hello Hello

Hum, this topic is indeed really complex, and I've heard about this on many social media.

Personally, I never wanted to have children. I just don't picture myself as a mom, and it is not the life that I want to have. And I always thought that it was really sad, this pressure that we have (especially as women, unfortunately) to have children. I feel like, nowadays, people are having children just because it represents the "ultimate" success in one's life. They want children because society is pressuring them to have children. Which shouldn't be the case : some people shouldn't become parents.

Now, back to climate change, I don't find it that extreme too. Objectively speaking, we are MANY on Earth. And we might have problems because of that. We already have problems because of that. Yet again, some people on Earth don't have access to means of contraception. But I do believe that some people (especially living in the North) should try and adopt children more. As many said before, welcoming a child is something that should be taken seriously. Having one is easy (not for everyone, but you get my point). Raising a child, its a totally different story.

Hi evrybody!

So first of all I absolutely agree to say that it is NOT an obligation to have kids and that NOBODY should tell you that you should have one. In the same way I think that nobody can decide for you that you should not have one. Your the one having a vagina your the one to decide what to do with it. That being said, I knowthat nowadays context is a bit complexe and I understand that reducing the number of human can be a good way to reduce carbon footprint and if people decide not to have a child because of this, that 's great for them but you cannot oblige everybody to do so.  Children is'nt just a carbon footprint. It is a little human that you created. For certains it is about legacy, it's about leaving a trace of their existence in the world. It's about the hapinness that you can feel by beeing a mother or a father, to teach everything you learned to someone who doesn't know anything. It's about to  give love . And sometimes it's just a mother instinct that some of us can not fight that's why certain person are craving so much to give birth that they're going mad.The sensation of carrying a baby is something irreaplacable and we shouldn't force anyone to have or not to have a child.
After, I think that there are other things more important and more effcient that we can do do reduce carbon footrpint. I find that a bit bizarre to talk about the fact that we should reduce the number  of chidren when I know that some of my friend will never be able to separate from their car...

Back again,

I just want to add that yeah there are some people that shouldn't have children because of the way they treat them ( sometimes it can be very violent), but I just want people to realise or to remember that there is not one way to raise a children, there is no official instructions to explain how to raise a child. There is nothing to predict what will be the problems that someone will face in his parents life. And sometimes children can have a really good education and still be dumbass people or still have bad consumption, or be someone that doesn't think about thi environment. And it's not because I meet someone of who I don't like the way he act that I will insult is parents or that I will wish he was never bring to life. Of course it is easy to say " I want a child " or " I wanna be a good mother" but nobody can give a perfect education to a child because it depends of so many things. Being a good or a bad parent is something that can be soooooooo subjectiv so I don't think it's is a good reason to say " people should'nt have child if they can't rise them properly".

Leanne, may I say that even if the only reason for you to be on earth and have life is to right in my topics, I'm glad you are alive.