: Blog

News from Population Matters.

  • NYC WPD girls with digivan banner

    It’s time to end harmful population denial

    Polemicist and pundit George Monbiot’s recent opinion piece in The Guardian claims (once again) that addressing the population issue is “blaming the poor” and “racist”. Population Matters Director Robin Maynard replies to these unjustified and irrational accusations and explains why population denial hurts everyone, especially the world’s most vulnerable.

  • Earth Overshoot Day: How smaller families shrink our ecological footprint

    Today is Earth Overshoot Day, the day on which humanity has used up all the natural resources that the Earth can produce within a year. This means that from tomorrow,…

  • UK Population banner

    Small island, big population – why the UK needs a Sustainable Population Policy

    With the United Kingdom already considered one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, unabated population growth poses a real threat to remaining ecosystems and human health and wellbeing….

  • Membership banner

    Championing better choices: My work as a young population activist

    The theme of this year’s International Youth Day is “Youth Engagement for Global Action”. Stella Wright, a member of the Population Matters London Local Group, is one of an increasing…

  • Women at demo banner

    Violated rights: the governments controlling women’s bodies

    China and Iran have made the headlines in the last few days for two very contrasting examples of a return to the dark ages of controlling women’s wombs. The right…

  • Woman and child on beach banner

    Empowerment or ‘kicking down’? The truth about population concern

    Population Matters Director Robin Maynard responds to environmental writer George Monbiot’s denigration of population campaigners in a recent Guardian piece. George Monbiot quite reasonably castigated Jeff Gibbs’ film, Planet of the…

  • Times Square banner

    Planet of the Humans: Infinite growth is suicide

    Our Director Robin Maynard reviews Planet of the Humans, the controversial new documentary produced by Michael Moore and directed by Jeff Gibbs, released on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Planet of…

  • Population growth and environmental destruction fuel deadly diseases

    Our growing population and resulting overexploitation of nature are facilitating the emergence and spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. Population Matters’ Communications Officer, Olivia Nater, investigates how relentless deforestation, habitat encroachment, wildlife trade, consumption…

  • Kibera women banner

    Unmet needs: conversations with the women left behind

    Population Matters’ Director, Robin Maynard, summarises events at this month’s Nairobi Summit on ICPD25, and recounts his experience of meeting young women and their families in Africa’s largest slum and surrounding…

  • Ugandan family on bike banner

    Cracking knuckles and counting kids

    Population Matters’ Campaigns and Projects Officer, Florence Blondel, reflects on her family life in Uganda, and the changes she sees coming. There was a time when I would start to…