In the short term, this is good news. Sub-replacement fertility is not zero; if the world population were to reduce by 1% per year for a few decades, it would

In the short term, this is good news. Sub-replacement fertility is not zero; if the world population were to reduce by 1% per year for a few decades, it would reduce the pressure on the Earth's ecosystems and make some space for a better life for the remaining people. The population can always increase again.