Modern economies (ranging ideologically from free market fundamentalist to Marxist dirigist) all predispose that growth is a necessary engine for economic stability and strongly imply that population growth (and certainly not population atrophy) is necessary for growth generally.

Conversely, while we might like to put off consideration whether the world's capacity to support increasing population is limited (particularly a population that lives at a North American living standard), this is increasingly a question that can't be conjured or wished away.

How then do we resolve the basic conflict between economic and ecological health and stability?

Might not the natural pattern of population gentle decline and aging that emerges with an economically advanced society with increasing women's education and equality (coupled with measures to maintain equitable wealth and income distribution)  be the best preconditions for economic and ecological health and stability model for the future.