The impact of declining birth rates on future infrastructure maintenance costs per capita
ISSN: 0144-3585
Article publication date: 4 October 2022
Issue publication date: 15 August 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This paper focuses on one vital consequence which is that future infrastructure maintenance cost per capita will increase. Using a sample of 23 developed countries, this paper looks at rail line maintenance cost per capita in the year 2020 versus rail line maintenance cost per capita in the year 2100. This analysis can be applied to most other infrastructure maintenance costs in the future.
Design/methodology/approach
However, this paper focuses on one vital consequence which is that future infrastructure maintenance cost per capita will increase. Using a sample of 23 developed countries, this paper looks at rail line maintenance cost per capita in the year 2020 versus rail line maintenance cost per capita in the year 2100. This analysis can be applied to most other infrastructure maintenance costs in the future.
Findings
The findings show that trail line maintenance costs per capita in the year 2100 will increase significantly for most developed countries.
Research limitations/implications
This research shows the negative consequences of declining birth rates in a very vital and important area.
Practical implications
Despite declining birth rates and population decline in the future, many infrastructure systems still need to be maintained.
Social implications
Maintaining the infrastructure will extract increasing amounts of vital national resources away from other societal concerns.
Originality/value
From an extensive literature review, very little, if any, has been written on this subject. Yet, this topic is highly important and will continue to get more focus in the future.
Keywords
Citation
McCollough, J.D., Sargsyan, G. and Luo, Z. (2023), "The impact of declining birth rates on future infrastructure maintenance costs per capita", Journal of Economic Studies, Vol. 50 No. 6, pp. 1121-1129. https://doi.org/10.1108/JES-05-2022-0299
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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