The world population is still growing rapidly. Therefore, birth regulation would be the most efficient way to counteract this. Responsible people already tend to have as many children as their financial resources allow. This shows maturity and responsibility towards both, their offspring and to society.

Nevertheless, the world’s population continues to grow rapidly. This represents one of the central challenges for sustainable development, resource security, and social stability. An internationally coordinated birth control policy offers an effective and manageable approach to responsibly addressing these developments.

Implementation Tools for Birth Control Measures In principle, three key strategies can be distinguished for implementing birth control policies:

1. Education and awareness
2. Incentives and subsidies
3. Regulatory measures and sanctions

Ideally, all three tools are employed, with the aim of resorting to restrictive measures only in exceptional cases.

The OVOLPE Model as a Structured Framework for Global Population Policy

Prerequisite
An international panel of experts annually determines the sustainably supportable population number of the Earth. This is based on:

Availability and consumption of global resources
Ecological footprint (global hectare, gha)
Security of supply (particularly energy)
Environmental factors such as CO₂ emissions, water pollution, climate change, and biodiversity

Basic Regulatory Provisions
Without targeted control, demographic development will endanger key sustainability goals (SDGs) and intensify geopolitical tensions. If the global population falls below the capacity determined by the expert panel, regulations can be flexibly adjusted or temporarily suspended. Targeted support measures (e.g. child benefits) are also possible in such cases.

• Fundamental right to one child per couple. This child will be supported through compulsory education, medical care, nutrition, and, if necessary, financial assistance from the global community, at least until UNESCO ISCED Level 2 (or possibly Level 3). Registration with the child protection authority (CPA) is mandatory.
• A second child is subject to conditions. Both parents must demonstrably be able to independently finance both children up to employability. Approval by the CPA is required.
• From the third child onwards, additional requirements applyIn addition to the requirement for approval, progressive child taxes are levied.

Accompanying Measures

• Compulsory education on awareness and family planning starting at age 12.
• Availability of contraceptives in sufficient variety and quantity for all people.
• Possibility of cost-free abortions in cases of unwanted or legally impermissible pregnancies, provided exclusively by qualified medical professionals.
• Legally penalty-free, medically supervised abortions worldwide within the first three months of pregnancy.
• Regular adjustment of the retirement age every three years in line with demographic developments.
• Funding through a global birth control fund:
  All countries pay a fixed percentage (e.g. 10%) of their national tax revenue into this fund to finance the aforementioned measures worldwide.

Final Remark. A global birth control policy requires courage, foresight, and international coordination. Yet it offers the opportunity to stabilize prosperity, the environment, and social systems in the long term. Timely control of population growth can prevent future crises and create the conditions for fairer living conditions worldwide.

The world-wide ecological footprint per person came to 1.75 gha (global hectares) in the year 2018. The world population comes to around 8 billion. We would thus need 1.75 Earths to cover the consumption of resources over the long term.

Reducing the global footprint of 1.75 gha to 1 gha per person, would be possible with a world population of 4.571 billion people.

Switzerland has an ecological footprint of 2.75 gha. That is, to live like Switzerland would require a maximum global population of 2.909 billion. This number however is likely lower, since the calculation did not include resources from abroad.

OVOLPE’s objective is to limit the world population so that the global footprint for humanity to a maximum of 1, regardless of how high it is per capita. This should protect both the environment and liveable habitat on Earth, conserve natural resources for coming generations and provide for an improvement of living conditions for humanity. This may mean restrictions on liberty for many, but it is less of a restriction than they would experience if one were to turn the screws with consumption-based measures.

• Every person should have a minimum quality of life:

  • 30 m2 private residential space, roofed, and if needed heated or cooled.
  • 2 meals per day with 1,800 to 3,600 kcal (depending on age and activity).
  • Genügend Kleidung. Das heisst mindestens fünf Outfits um sich von Kopf bis Fuss einzukleiden, wobei die Art der Kleidung sich primär am Klima vor Ort orientiert.
  • Completing school through at least UNESCO ISCED Level 2 (possibly 3). World-wide one goal is prescribed at this time: learning spoken and written English.
  • 1 means of transportation (e.g. E-scooter, (E)-bike, moped, car, horse).
  • Free contraceptives of choice.
  • Access to fresh drinking water.
  • Access to basic medical care.

Demographic developments in most industrialised countries show a clear trend: the population is ageing while birth rates are declining. From OVOLPE’s perspective, especially the declining birth rates are a very positive development. Mainstream opinion often sees this differently, portraying falling birth rates and the ageing of society as a threat. Fears range from an unbearable burden on pension systems and supply shortages to the collapse of production and supply chains, labour shortages, and even the extinction of humanity. These fears are not all unfounded, but they are exaggerated. What is often portrayed as a problematic situation can also, from OVOLPE's point of view, be seen as a chance for a better future. Here are some innovative solution approaches:

1. 1. Automation and Productivity Increases
   Technological progress will significantly increase efficiency in many industries. Automation, AI and robotics will take over various tasks, reducing the need for human labour. The declining number of working people can be offset by higher productivity, thus maintaining or even increasing economic performance. Physically demanding, hazardous, or monotonous work will increasingly be handled by machines and AI.
2. 2. Extending Working Life
   Thanks to better healthcare and nutrition, people in industrialised nations remain fit and productive for longer, making it possible to raise the retirement age. Flexible pension systems that allow a gradual transition into retirement can help retain skilled professionals in the workforce. Especially experienced older individuals can contribute through knowledge transfer and mentoring. Part-time and project work can be attractive to older workers and allow them to continue contributing to society.
3. 3. Education and Skills Development
   Investment in education and training is essential to help workers adapt to new technologies and work methods. Targeted retraining and lifelong learning ensure that people remain indispensable, efficient and flexible in changing job markets. This allows for an effective use of available labour resources.
4. 4. Migration as an Opportunity
   Targeted immigration policies can help alleviate shortages in specific professions. With suitable integration programmes, migrants can be incorporated into the labour market. Well-integrated immigrants can not only stabilise the labour market but also bring cultural and economic stimulus. A smart migration strategy is key to meeting actual needs. Beneficial temporary exchange programmes between industrialised and developing countries—possibly supported by government or businesses—are also conceivable. For example, older, highly qualified workers from industrialised countries could work in developing nations for a few years to initiate sustainable infrastructure projects or transfer agricultural technologies. At the same time, young workers from developing countries could temporarily work in industrial nations, gain training and/or valuable professional experience, while helping to fill demographic gaps in the labour market.
5. 5. New Social Models
   Innovative concepts like multi-generational living or cooperative housing (such as intergenerational homes or communities) can help distribute tasks like cleaning, maintenance, care, and support more efficiently. Older people who stay active longer can make valuable contributions in social and voluntary sectors. These models reduce dependency on state-run care institutions and strengthen community cohesion.

Demographic change certainly presents challenges, but the often-evoked doomsday scenarios can be avoided. Technological progress, social adaptation and targeted political action can transform perceived problems into real opportunities. Instead of fearing an ageing society, we should focus on innovative solutions that secure or improve long-term prosperity and social stability.

• Seen globally and international, the current state presents a Babylonian confusion of languages, which means that many countries in the world people have difficulty expressing and understanding language in their own country. For example, in Switzerland, with just at 9 million residents, there are four official national languages. One of them is Swiss-German. But the written language in the “German-speaking” part of Switzerland is High German, which is actually a foreign language. This is, admittedly, a rather extreme example, but it can be applied in a watered-down form to nearly all the countries on the Earth. In countries with multiple ethnic groups, larger portions of the population are forced to learn the national language, which, in turn, becomes completely useless as soon as they cross the national border.

  India provides a good example of the advantages of English as a world language, since English has become one of the official national languages in this country. India decided to establish English as a national language, not just to make communication among its own people easier, since there are many different variants of the Indian languages, but also to make communication in the international business world, and to facilitate the access to education and employment. In fact, India has developed quickly into an important actor on the global market – and English has played an important role in this. Without a shared language, which is abstracts from differences in origin and culture, it would have been much harder for India to assert itself in the global economy.

• «These deficiencies arise because there is no shared world language.» Languages learned in adulthood generally do not have the same quality and depth as the mother tongue. For that reason, it is to be desired that every child grows up bilingual. With the respective mother tongue, that is, the regional language, and the world language. This would make learning national languages superfluous and regional languages could be taught in schools along with the world language, both spoken and written forms. In travel, in business, in diplomacy, and in politics, as well as in science and research, and not least of all in interpersonal relationships in private life would bring enormous progress to a world language. Expenditures in costs and time could be considerably reduced and many misunderstandings and wrong decisions could be avoided.
• For that reason, OVOLPE is working for the official introduction of the English language as the world language.