emirates7 - A high-level session on the final day of the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2026 highlighted the profound implications of global demographic transformation on the future of governance, economic sustainability, and social development.
The session, titled “The Great Demographic Shift: The Government’s Role,” was delivered by renowned demographer and author Paul Morland.
Morland challenged common assumptions about overpopulation, noting that despite the global population reaching eight billion, living standards have continued to improve due to innovation and human ingenuity.
Citing economist Julian Simon, he said, “The human brain is the ultimate resource,” emphasising the role of creativity in overcoming resource constraints.
He explained that global population growth is slowing rapidly, with an increasing number of countries experiencing fertility rates below replacement levels and more deaths than births. Morland warned that population decline leads to economic contraction and social deterioration rather than prosperity, stating, “The reality of human population decline is not human thriving, but human shriveling.”
Morland outlined four major demographic pressures shaping future economies, which he described as the “four greys”: grey labour, referring to shrinking and aging workforces that reduce productivity and innovation; grey capital, where financial resources are increasingly concentrated among older populations, limiting investment in entrepreneurial activity; grey consumers, marked by rising demand for labour-intensive services amid workforce shortages; and grey budgets, as aging societies place growing pressure on public finances through healthcare, pensions, and social care costs.
He noted that while immigration can partially offset labour shortages, it is not a sustainable long-term solution, as fertility rates are declining globally and migrant populations are also aging. In this context, Morland referred to the UAE as a distinctive model in its ability to attract global talent to drive development.
Morland stressed that governments play a critical role in addressing demographic challenges by enabling family formation through affordable housing, accessible childcare, supportive tax policies, and work-life balance initiatives. He added that governments also have a role in shaping culture by restoring the social value of family life.
Concluding the session, Morland called for coordinated action among governments, businesses, and societies to respond to demographic realities, stressing that long-term governance planning must place population sustainability at the center of future policy frameworks.
He emphasised the need to move beyond outdated assumptions about population growth and act with urgency, stating: “We have to understand it. We have to explain it, and we have to act on it… because if we want a human future, we’re going to have to have humans to inhabit it.”
The session, titled “The Great Demographic Shift: The Government’s Role,” was delivered by renowned demographer and author Paul Morland.
Morland challenged common assumptions about overpopulation, noting that despite the global population reaching eight billion, living standards have continued to improve due to innovation and human ingenuity.
Citing economist Julian Simon, he said, “The human brain is the ultimate resource,” emphasising the role of creativity in overcoming resource constraints.
He explained that global population growth is slowing rapidly, with an increasing number of countries experiencing fertility rates below replacement levels and more deaths than births. Morland warned that population decline leads to economic contraction and social deterioration rather than prosperity, stating, “The reality of human population decline is not human thriving, but human shriveling.”
Morland outlined four major demographic pressures shaping future economies, which he described as the “four greys”: grey labour, referring to shrinking and aging workforces that reduce productivity and innovation; grey capital, where financial resources are increasingly concentrated among older populations, limiting investment in entrepreneurial activity; grey consumers, marked by rising demand for labour-intensive services amid workforce shortages; and grey budgets, as aging societies place growing pressure on public finances through healthcare, pensions, and social care costs.
He noted that while immigration can partially offset labour shortages, it is not a sustainable long-term solution, as fertility rates are declining globally and migrant populations are also aging. In this context, Morland referred to the UAE as a distinctive model in its ability to attract global talent to drive development.
Morland stressed that governments play a critical role in addressing demographic challenges by enabling family formation through affordable housing, accessible childcare, supportive tax policies, and work-life balance initiatives. He added that governments also have a role in shaping culture by restoring the social value of family life.
Concluding the session, Morland called for coordinated action among governments, businesses, and societies to respond to demographic realities, stressing that long-term governance planning must place population sustainability at the center of future policy frameworks.
He emphasised the need to move beyond outdated assumptions about population growth and act with urgency, stating: “We have to understand it. We have to explain it, and we have to act on it… because if we want a human future, we’re going to have to have humans to inhabit it.”
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