China ends one child policy

ODN (formerly ITV) has the story in China ends its decades long one-child policy.

All couples in China can now have two children as the country's ruling Communist party announced an ease of family planning restrictions. Report by Claire Mewse.

After 35 years, the "basic national policy" has served its purpose by dramatically restricting Chinese population growth.  It's about time for a two child policy for all Chinese, which will still keep China's population from outgrowing its economy.

This change comes just as I am about to start my lectures on human population, so it's very timely.  On the one hand, it will get the students' attention.  On the other, I'll have to update the lecture by replacing the NTDTV video in China's top six environmental problems embedded in the same slide as the poster above with the ODN video.  That's an easy fix. 

By the way, this news has prompted interest in relevant entries from my back catalog.  In particular, people were reading China's gender imbalance: Student sustainability video festival 45.  The change is policy should ease that problem, along with allowing its working age population to stabilize, both issues explored in Next Media Animation thinks low birth rates in the U.S. and China aren't all good.  Looks like China recognized that NMA was right.