By and large, humankind and its growth hasn’t been great for nature. As populations have increased around the world, biodiversity has taken a hit – resulting in catastrophic loss for ecosystems. As our lead article today notes: “Since 1970, 73% of global wildlife has been lost, while the world’s population has doubled to 8 billion.”

So projections that by 2050 the number of people inhabiting some 85 countries around the world will be in decline will surely be encouraging for the environment?

Perhaps not. Take Japan, which has been depopulating since 2010. A new study looking at how declines in local populations there has affected birds, butterflies, fireflies, frogs and plant life suggests that a “depopulation dividend” for nature doesn’t exist.

Indeed, biodiversity continued to suffer in those areas most affected by human depopulation. In part, the reason is that Japan’s gradually declining population brings with it new challenges for nature: abandoned buildings, the selling off of under-used farmland for other purposes and new housing units, roads and leisure facilities to accommodate the changing demographics and household composition. “All in all, wildlife has less space and fewer niches to inhabit, despite there being fewer people,” the authors of today’s lead story conclude.

Elsewhere this week we have been examining the implications of Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and pondering how the EU dropped the ball on its own defense.