Reports of Europe's death are somewhat exaggerated
European countries are buffeted by two global forces: atmospheric pressures that, as it were, change the weather, silently transforming societies and the assumptions of public policy. One is climate change (a change in the weather literally). The other is demography.
The two have a lot in common. Both are easily recognised but less easily understood. Both are products of complex forces and unobtrusive influences. Both create huge effects from minuscule changes. A rise in global temperature by one degree or a fall in fertility by one point may sound trivial but, over 100 years, will make the earth unbearably hot, or reshape the size and composition of societies.
Yet though every rich country has a climate-change policy, few have a population one (there are historical reasons for that). And just as everyone whinges about the weather, but does nothing about it, so everyone in Europe complains, but does nothing, about population.
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