In a new BMJ Global Health commentary, Thoai Ngo discusses a shift in the way we tackle interactions between the 3Cs (climate crisis, conflict, and COVID-19) and demographic trends like the youth bulge, aging populations, and migration patterns. In a world of 8 billion inhabitants, Ngo proposes that a useful way of framing their interdependencies is placing them in the context of population health and inequalities. These trends should be treated as public health issues by government, non-profit, and private sector actors.
Ngo recommends that the massive swell of young people in the world’s most populous countries represent an opportunity to revitalize economies and increase climate resilience, but only if we invest sufficiently in their education, health, and development. The declining workforces and population aging of high-income countries must be counteracted with inclusive, welcoming, and easy-to-navigate immigration processes that welcome refugees and asylum seekers, and inclusive, sustainable, and safe city design must be a cornerstone of any climate-focused development policy.
Read the commentary in BMJ Global Health.