The Independent on having children vs. Macron's Africa birth-rate remarks

■ The pieces

• The Independent (Voices, Simon Ross): People who don't have children benefit our environment more than any campaign – it's time to celebrate them (Aug 11, 2016)https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/people-who-don-t-have-children-benefit-our-environment-more-than-any-campaign-it-s-time-to-celebrate-them-a7178951.html
• The Independent (archived July 14, 2017): Having children is one of the most destructive things you can do to the environment, say researchers (July 2017)http://web.archive.org/web/20170714051936/http://www.independent.co.uk:80/environment/children-carbon-footprint-climate-change-damage-having-kids-research-a7837961.html

■ What they show

A 2016 Independent opinion piece argued that people who choose not to have children help the environment more than any campaign. A 2017 Independent news story reported research that ranked having fewer children as the most effective way to cut personal emissions. The intended contrast is with indy100/Independent coverage calling Macron's July 2017 remarks about African birth rates 'incredibly offensive', but that piece could not be located.

■ The other side

The 2016 and 2017 pieces addressed personal choices and carbon footprints in wealthy countries, while criticism of Macron focused on his framing of Africa's development as a 'civilisational' problem.

■ Why it's here

This exhibit is filed under Subversion, not graded as a lie. What subversion means →