Environmental attitudes and fertility desires among US adolescents from 2005-2019

This Brief Report examines links between environmental attitudes and fertility desires over time in the U.S.

To understand fertility decision making, it is important to identify factors that influence fertility desires. Concerns about environmental problems may be associated with lower desired fertility, especially in recent cohorts transitioning to adulthood. Youth may feel that having one less child can reduce their "carbon footprint" or may be unwilling to bring children into an uncertain and difficult future due to climate change.

Data are from 12^th graders in the Monitoring the Future Study (2005-2019; N=34,104). Regression is used to examine the relationship between number of children wanted and agreement that the government should deal with environmental problems even if it means paying more taxes.

Those who endorsed that government should deal with environmental problems reported lower average fertility desires than those who did not. The association was driven by a decreased desire for large families (four or more children) rather than normatively sized families (two-three children). Political identity and religiosity attenuated but did not explain the association. There was some evidence of stronger associations in 2017-2019.

Evidence showed associations between environmental attitudes and childbearing preferences that may have strengthened over time.

Environmental attitudes may be a factor in the recent decline in youth's fertility desires and could have consequences for future fertility.