News | Population Matters

A Booming Success: Population Matters’ 2021 Conference

15 October 2021

On 8th October, Population Matters hosted Boom or Bust, our first-ever hybrid in-person and online conference. Addressing the intersection of population and economics, with a focus on how societies can flourish with a smaller, more sustainable population, a truly global cast of speakers – beaming in from Taiwan, Spain, Ghana, France, the US, UK, and Kenya – brought a wide variety of fascinating perspectives and areas of expertise.

Population Matters' Robin Maynard and Monica Scigliano report.

Climate Development Economics Women's rights World population

PM report exposes the ageing myth

8 October 2021

A major new report by Population Matters busts the myth that a declining birth rate and ageing population spell economic disaster. Silver linings, not silver burdens reveals the benefits of fewer people being born, and identifies the common-sense policies that will meet the challenges of a society in which more people are older.

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Happy birthday, but more to do before we blow out the candles

24 July 2021

We’ve been committed to raising the profile of population and our collective impact on Earth since 24 July 1991, and though a cynic might consider it counter-intuitive for us to celebrate, that cynic would be ignorant of our unerring dedication to help create a better world for people everywhere, and the positive difference we are making. Robin Maynard reflects on Population Matters' work on our 30th birthday.

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China's changing child policy: what does it mean?

1 June 2021

China's panic over the consequences of a falling birth rate is typical of growing concerns across the world. Its response - moving its family size limit from one to two to three children - is typical of the Chinese government in mixing apparent liberalisation with intrusive state control. Our Head of Campaigns, Alistair Currie, looks at the policy and the drivers behind it, and asks what it can it tell us about shifting demographics and how governments respond.

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Scotland's not-so-sustainable population policy

31 March 2021

Scotland has just published its first ever national population strategy. Population Matters Director Robin Maynard takes a look and laments the disconnect between the country's many other progressive policy positions and its conventional pro-growth approach.

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"Baby drought"? Let’s focus on the real COVID-19 crises

30 March 2021

Mainstream media is rife with alarming headlines about how the world may soon run out of babies. Not only does this paint declining fertility rates as a threat instead of the hugely beneficial development they represent – it also distracts from the real crises exacerbated by COVID-19, including gender inequality and poverty. Population Matters Senior Communications Officer Olivia Nater explains.

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New report: transform economy to save nature

4 February 2021

Our economic and financial system is driving biodiversity loss and requires massive changes, according to a major new report by economist and Population Matters patron, Prof Sir Partha Dasgupta. Addressing population growth through much greater support for family planning is one of the key solutions proposed by the report.

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Study: Population growth cancelling out climate change progress

20 January 2021

A new study finds that more than three-quarters of the gains made from increased energy efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide emissions from energy production are offset by global population growth. The study calls for an end to the "conspicuous silence" on the role of population in our enironmental crisis.

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Humanity headed towards ‘ghastly future’: Urgent warning from top scientists

14 January 2021

An important new study warns that the world is failing to grasp the gravity of our environmental crises, and that without urgent action on the underlying causes, population and consumption growth, we face catastrophic mass extinction, climate disruption, and human suffering.

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Can we shrink our energy footprint?

10 October 2020

A new study suggests we can reduce global energy consumption by 75% and still lead comfortable lives. To achieve that, the authors say we need "radical action on all fronts", including addressing vast disparities in consumption across the world. Can we do it?

Climate Development Economics Environment

Reproductive Healthcare: The Missing Link

22 September 2020

A new study released highlights the importance of ensuring universal access to modern reproductive healthcare to achieving the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. To mark World Contraception Day, Population Matters calls for increased funding to the UNFPA to fulfill unmet modern contraceptive needs.

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Two billion fewer people?

20 July 2020

A new study published in The Lancet projects that the global population will peak at 9.7bn in 2064 and be 8.8bn by the end of the century. That's 2bn below the United Nations projection. Can it be true?

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Planet of the Humans: Infinite growth is suicide

28 April 2020

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.

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Study: preference for small families is 'contagious'

27 March 2020

As highly social creatures, much of what we say and do is influenced by the people close to us. A new paper examines this effect on family size and consumption behaviour and concludes that smaller families and sustainable lifestyles could be achieved by facilitating the evolution of social norms.

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The ‘blue acceleration’: ocean plunder in the Anthropocene

17 February 2020

A new study highlights the rapidly increasing pressure on the world’s oceans as a result of human population growth and burgeoning demand for resources.

Biodiversity Climate Economics Environment World population

Which European countries spend the most on global family planning?

4 February 2020

A new report shows that Europe spent a total of 845 million Euros on global sexual and reproductive health and family planning in 2018 – an overall increase of 5% compared to 2017. Most countries either increased or maintained their funding levels, yet major shortfalls and political barriers remain.

Development Economics Family planning Women's rights World population

70 is the new 65: a new way of looking at population ageing

19 November 2019

A new analysis by the UK Office for National Statistics shows that estimating the number of life years remaining, rather than counting the years lived, could be a better way of measuring ageing and its implications for society.

Economics UK population

UK population bigger and greyer

23 August 2019

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, show that the UK's population is 66.4 million people, and that the proportion of people past retirement age continues to grow. Do these changes in the UK matter?

Economics Environment UK population

Despite economic growth, billions won’t have enough fruit and veg by 2050

24 July 2019

A new Lancet study analysing the gap between future fruit and vegetable supply and recommended consumption levels found that even under the most optimistic socioeconomic growth scenarios, there won’t be enough to go around by mid-century.

Development Economics Environment Food & water World population

Human population density main driver of nature loss in Africa

4 July 2019

A new study reveals that rapid human population growth is the biggest driver of environmental degradation in African countries, highlighting the urgent need for greater investment in family planning as a pathway to achieving biodiversity and sustainable development targets.

Africa population Biodiversity Development Economics Environment Family planning Women's rights