Changing population age structures and sustainable development 

United Nations, New York, 13-14 October 2016

 

The Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations is organizing an expert group meeting on “Changing population age structures and sustainable development”, which will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 13 to 14 October 2016.  The meeting will examine this topic from various perspectives, with an emphasis on new evidence and analysis regarding the drivers and consequences of changes in the population age distribution. 

 

The world’s population is experiencing an historic shift in its age distribution, from the mostly young age structures of the past, towards larger proportions of middle-aged and older persons in the present and future decades.  This shift is driven by the demographic transition from high to low levels of both fertility and mortality. The social and economic consequences of these changes vary greatly across regions and countries, due to considerable diversity in levels of fertility and mortality, and in the speed with which the demographic transition has unfolded or is unfolding in different parts of the world. 

 

In consideration of these major global trends and their impacts on development, the Commission on Population and Development decided that the special theme of its 50th session, taking place in New York from 3 to 7 April, 2017, would be “Changing population age structures and sustainable development”. The Population Division is organizing this expert meeting in preparation for Commission’s upcoming session.

 

A report of the meeting will be issued afterwards.  More information can be found at: www.unpopulation.org.