News | Population Matters

The core of the problem: consumption

21 September 2022

At Population Matters, we’ve long intended to launch a campaign targeting overconsumption. At the heart of the environmental crisis that threatens all our futures are our excessive demands on the planet. It simply can’t sustain the number of us there are, doing the things we choose to do.

Economics

Fighting floods, patriarchy and child marriage in Pakistan

15 September 2022

An estimated 1,325 people have died in Pakistan’s floods, including 466 children. These are girls and boys whose dreams were cut short by a changing climate and communities who are bearing the brunt of multiple intersecting crises. Erfaan Hussein Babak, human rights activist and director of Pakistani organisation, The Awakening, spoke to Empower to Plan Coordinator, Catriona Spaven-Donn, about the situation in the northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

Asia population Climate Development Environment Families Family planning Food & water Women's rights World population

Gender Equality 86 Years Away

8 September 2022

At the current rate of progress full gender equality will be achieved in the year 2108, according to a new UN report released yesterday. Why has so little headway been made in recent years, and what’s required to get back on the right path? Digital and Communications Manager Ben Stallworthy looks at the report’s findings.

Biodiversity Climate Development Environment Family planning Women's rights World population

Rajasthan Rising: the Indian girl-led movement going from strength to strength

2 September 2022

Over the first six months of 2022, Empower to Plan funds helped to grow a collective of 5,000 girls determined to end child marriage in India. The Rajasthan Rising movement has since gone from strength to strength, creating a ripple effect of engaged and empowered leaders defending and promoting girls’ rights in their community.

Development Family planning Women's rights

2022: A BIG YEAR FOR GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY

18 August 2022

2022 is a big year for the natural world - a new international biodiversity agreement will be adopted in December, which is intended to ensure that by 2050 humans are living in harmony with nature. Read more here about how human population growth and empowering population solutions are being dealt with.

Biodiversity Development Family planning Women's rights World population

Population Matters sends “Fake News” award to Elon Musk

15 August 2022

As we have previously reported, the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has an increasing preoccupation with population. With his tweets and comments showing no sign of diminishing or becoming more reasonable, PM has published a new report analysing his claims, Which planet is he on? Elon Musk and the population apocalypse. To bring home the message, we have also sent a uniquely-designed Fake News award to Mr Musk, care of Tesla’s HQ.

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Exploring the links between environment and human well-being

3 August 2022

In June, Population Matters’ Researcher and Policy Adviser Monica Scigliano travelled to Finland to present a paper at the Planetary Futures of Health and Wellbeing conference. In this blog post, she reflects on highlights from the conference, her paper, and Finland as a model of sustainability and well-being.

Biodiversity Climate Development Economics Environment World population

Earth Overshoot Day - what can we all do?

28 July 2022

Earth Overshoot Day marks the day when humanity has consumed all the renewable resources that the planet can produce over the entire year. Falling on 28 July in 2022, it tells us we are very far from living within the limits of our planet. But solutions are available.

Development Economics Environment Food & water World population

As progress continues to falter, how do the SDGs get back on track?

22 July 2022

The UN’s Sustainable Development Report assesses progress in meeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to achieve peace and prosperity for people and the planet.

Africa population Asia population Biodiversity Climate Development Economics Environment Europe Population Families Family planning Food & water UK population US population Women's rights World population

THE CLIMATE CRISIS: ETHICAL POPULATION ACTION A KEY SOLUTION

19 July 2022

Project Drawdown, the world-leading study of climate change solutions, has rated family planning and education, resulting in slower population growth, as key to tackling the climate crisis. Read more here.

Climate Family planning Women's rights World population

The work of Na’leb’ak - local change-makers in Guatemala

14 July 2022

Catriona Spaven-Donn reports on how Empower to Plan partner Na'leb'ak is leading the way in sexual and reproductive health and education provision in their Maya Q'eqchi' communities.

Development Economics Environment Families Family planning Food & water Women's rights World population

UN: 2.4bn more people but is end of growth in sight?

11 July 2022

The United Nations has today released its updated projections for global population change up to 2100. It is projecting another 2.4bn people by 2086, but the basic numbers hide a more complicated story. PM’s Monica Scigliano reports on the key data and trends, and looks at some of the implications.

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Too fast, too slow, just right? The UN's 2022 population projections

11 July 2022

Published today, the long-awaited United Nations global population projections are causing plenty of debate. PM's Alistair Currie looks behind the numbers to see what the lines on the graph mean for people, planet and our future.

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WORLD POPULATION DAY 2022: CHANGE CHAMPIONS

7 July 2022

For the second year running, to mark World Population Day on 11 July, we are giving our Change Champions awards to individuals and organisations across the globe for their progressive, effective and brave work promoting reproductive rights, defending the environment, and enlightening the public about the challenges we face and the solutions that are available. Read more about the winners here.

Climate Environment Families Family planning Women's rights World population

Abortion, nation and population - in the US and beyond

1 July 2022

The end of the constitutional protection of the right to abortion in the US has been praised, as well as condemned, across the world. Population Matters' landmark Welcome to Gilead report detailed how a mix of nationalism, population panic and misogyny is fuelling increasing repression of reproductive freedom in some countries. We take a look here at some recent developments.

Economics Families Family planning US population Women's rights

A terrible human cost: Roe v. Wade overturned

24 June 2022

The US Supreme Court has overturned the Roe v. Wade decision which prevented states banning abortion. Twenty-six are now expected to introduce such bans, which will have terrible consequences for the lives and freedom of countless people in the US.

Families Family planning Women's rights

Joan Kembabazi: girls' education is key

Population Matters Choice Ambassadors Joan Kembabazi

17 June 2022

At the beginning of June, girls' and women's rights activist Joan Kembabazi, who is also one of our Choice Ambassadors, attended the Stockholm 50+ environment conference. In this guest blog, she writes about the conference and her message to it.

Africa population Climate Development Women's rights

One school, one tree at a time: climate campaigning in Uganda

Population Matters Choice Ambassadors Nyombi Morris

8 June 2022

Voted Environmentalist of Tomorrow by CNN in 2021, Nyombi Morris is a climate change activist from Uganda. With a mission to educate and inspire young people, he’s one of our Choice Ambassadors.

Africa population Biodiversity Climate Environment

Degrowth, the steady state economy and population

4 June 2022

In a guest blog to mark Degrowth Day, Brian Czech, Executive Director of the Center for a Steady State Economy, discusses the limitations of the current economic system, the way forward, and why population matters.

Economics Environment World population

Children at risk from overconsumption by the richest

31 May 2022

A majority of wealthy countries are creating unhealthy and dangerous conditions for children across the world, according to a new report by UNICEF. Overconsumption is identified as a key driver of the destruction of children's environments.

Climate Environment