Wolfgang Lutz at the Economist Annual Demographics Summit

Demographic decline is probably the most important challenge that European nations as well as many developed and developing countries around the world are facing. Demographics experts, economists, scientists, and policymakers warn that population decline decisively undermines sustainable and inclusive growth. This also applies to Greece, which is facing an acute demographic crisis. Various solutions have been proposed, including the integration of legal immigrants. Nevertheless, policies to balance work and family life as well as the role of science in reversing the low fertility rate remain of critical importance and at the top of the agenda for Europe.

The third Demographic Summit, organized by The Economist Impact Events in partnership with HopeGenesis, an NGO that was awarded the prize “Best Birth Rate Improvement Initiative-Greece” will feature: Handling the demographic emergency: The role of science, governments, and citizens. The summit will focus on demographic decline and the low birth rate in Greece. Dubravka Šuica, Vice-president for Democracy and Demography for the European Commission, and Sofia Zacharaki, Minister for social cohesion and family affairs, will speak at the opening session, followed by several panel discussions by prominent government officials from Europe, scientists, and organizational heads.

Wolfgang Lutz will contribute to the session with the title, How do Regional Disparities Exacerbate Social Inequality, addressing Europe’s policies and measures to be taken and focusing on Greece's realities. In his keynote speech titled, Under a multi-dimensional demographic perspective the future looks more manageable, Lutz will show several dimensions (education, health, and labor force participation) of population projections in 2060, which show different possible demographic scenarios for Greece in 2060.

Full program: https://events.economist.com/events-conferences/third-european-demographic-summit/#overview