Part 4/11:
The prevailing trend contributing to this anticipated decline is not the inability of human beings to sustain a growing population through resources like modern agriculture or technology but rather a significant decrease in birth and fertility rates. The birth rate, defined as the total number of live births per 1,000 people annually, has been on the decline since the Industrial Revolution. Factors contributing to this decline include urbanization, women's increasing participation in education and the workforce, and improvements in child survival rates.