Happy Wednesday, Below the Folders. While it’s no surprise that 2020 was a tough year, researchers using Twitter data have found that the year's onslaught of trauma has led to record low happiness levels with more time needed for people to bounce back. Keeping up with the news in such a time can be a burden, and as we start a new year, we're emphasizing our commitment to news wellness. We look forward to a year full of keeping you informed, expanding your knowledge of the world, and helping make sense of it all together.

South Korea is offering monthly cash payments to boost low birth rates

Mon Jan 4

The population is dropping in South Korea for the first time. Not only is the country quickly aging, but fertility rates have been steadily declining for years. Now that birth rate is the lowest in the world, at just 1.1 children per woman. For reference, the global average is ~2.5.

Increased industrialization and financial growth have also led to:

• A rapidly aging population, with 32% of the population in their 40s and 50s (compared to 20% in the U.S.)
• A trend of delaying or avoiding marriage, often due to time, money, or emotional capacity 

Why does this matter?

We’ve heard before how countries (such as China) have been trying to slow down their population growth. But in the case of South Korea, the declining population could affect the country’s economic future. As a result, the government there has been working on new policies to address this issue for the last few years. In 2018, they lowered the maximum work week hours from 68 hours a week to 52 hours.

This past December, they announced a new plan that offers monthly payments for an infant's first year, includes perks for working parents, and helps cover prenatal costs for pregnant women. The latest efforts could result in about three million won (~$2,700 USD) a month for parents, but critics say even more needs to be done. They claim these payments don’t account for other financial burdens that come with starting or growing a family, such as education and housing.

SOURCES / READ MORE: The Guardian, BBC News, CNN, The Korea Times

A zoning initiative in Boston would require net-zero emissions for new buildings

Tue Jan 5

Boston is on a mission to be carbon neutral by 2050. One step in that journey is reducing the carbon footprint of its buildings, which are responsible for 70% of the city’s carbon emissions. 

To make that happen, the city is implementing its most aggressive strategy yet: Changing the zoning process. Previously, Boston used building codes, which is determined through the state, and therefore wouldn’t allow for stricter codes at a municipality level. Until state-level efforts to adopt stricter building codes become a reality, the city is leaning into the zoning process and requiring all new construction be net zero carbon emissions. This means developers may have to rethink construction and even architecture to optimize for energy efficiency and clean energy procurement.

How much will this zoning initiative change?

These new requirements would apply to projects larger than 50,000 square feet, which is roughly two-thirds of all new buildings. The hope is that the size threshold lowers to include more buildings over time.

SOURCES / READ MORE: Energy News Network, North End Waterfront, WGBH