Elon Musk Comments on Greece’s ‘Population Collapse’
Elon Musk has shared and commented on an X post talking about Greece’s looming “population collapse”, a scenario predicted for the country after it has seen a rise in sudden and unexpected deaths, alongside a drop in fertility rates.
Elon Musk Comments on Greece’s Demographic Crisis
“Greece is one of dozens of countries experiencing population collapse due to low birth rates,” Elon Musk wrote in accompaniment to his retweeting of a news item stating that “population collapse” is looming in Greece amid the demography changes in the country.
Greece is one of dozens of countries experiencing population collapse due to low birth rates https://t.co/2qFA087SLJ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 15, 2024
Greece’s fertility rate is one of the lowest in Europe, and the government is planning in May to unveil new policies to boost birth rates, such as cash benefits for families, affordable housing for young people, financial incentives for assisted reproduction, and incorporating migrants into the workforce, as reported by the Guardian.
The full size and cost of the measures are unclear at present. “If I were to tell you that any given minister at any given ministry…can reverse the trend, it would be a lie,” Sofia Zacharaki, Greece’s minister for social cohesion and family affairs, told the Guardian, adding, “We need to keep trying.”
In 2010, Greece recorded 114,766 births compared to 109,084 deaths. However, over the course of a decade, the numbers have shifted dramatically. In 2020, Greece reported only 84,717 births but a staggering 131,084 deaths. This trend has led to a significant population decline.
The reproduction rate in Greece is now one of the lowest in the world, standing at 1.3 children per woman. This is well below the stability limit of 2.1 children per woman. These startling statistics were highlighted by Professor Nektarios Miltiadis, the head of the research group working on “healthy and active aging in Greece” at the University of Piraeus.
He spoke at an event organized by the Medical Association of Thessaloniki within the framework of the 87th Thessaloniki International Fair late last year. In his speech, Miltiadis stressed the importance of addressing the consequences of Greece’s demographic crisis.
Possible solutions for Greece’s Demographic Problem
To combat Greece’s demographic crisis, Miltiadis suggested increasing the employment of working women, young people under the age of twenty-five, and even pensioners. He argued that older individuals should be encouraged to work if they are capable, as the shrinking workforce poses economic challenges.
Miltiadis also pointed out that the issue of an aging population is not unique to Greece but affects both Western and developing countries. Advances in medicine, improved living conditions, and healthier eating habits have contributed to increased life expectancy. It does, however, present challenges, as societies now face an aging population with a declining birth rate, as seen in Greece’s demographic crisis.
