Why lower fertility does not have to mean economic decline There’s no getting away from the fact that in many countries around the world, populations are ageing and fertility is declining.  The latest  State of World Population report from the UN sexual and reproductive rights agency ( UNFPA ) shows that around one in five adults worldwide believe they will not be able to have the number of children they want, largely because of economic insecurity, inequality and lack of support. But Michael Herrmann, an economist and demographer with UNFPA, cautions against panic. “Demographic change is not a crisis in itself,” he says. “It’s a reality we need to understand, plan for, and adapt to.” Michael Herrmann, UNFPA adviser on economics and demography. Demographic resilience Mr. Herrmann, who spoke on the sidelines of the Commission on Population and Development, which is meeting this week at UN Headquarters in New York, is advocating for a concept that is gaining attention: demographic resilience.…