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

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.

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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.

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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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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.

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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

Fat cats and fossil fuel companies: Who's to blame for climate change?

18 February 2022

The wealthiest people drive climate change and the poorest suffer most from it. In fact, the inequality and injustice is greater than many people think. But it's not the whole story. We look at the numbers and try to identify what's really going on.

Climate Development Economics World population

The BBC on population: Re-treading a well-worn path

18 January 2022

Human population dynamics, impacts and challenges are rarely raised or discussed in any depth on mainstream media. So the fact that the BBC gave over one of its flagship Radio 4 ‘Rethink’ series to population should be welcomed by anyone interested in better understanding this crucial, but overlooked, issue. Unfortunately, the programme had some major shortcomings. PM Director Robin Maynard and Researcher Monica Scigliano explain.

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Elon Musk is wrong: we need smaller families

13 December 2021

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has just been named TIME’s person of the year, has once again urged people to have more babies, claiming that “population collapse” is the biggest threat facing humanity. Population Matters Communications Manager Olivia Nater explains why this statement is absurd and dangerous.

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Welcome to Gilead: how population fears drive women's rights abuses

30 November 2021

Back in March, we wrote about the disturbing rise in reproductive rights violations committed in the name of boosting population growth. Welcome to Gilead, Population Matters’ latest report, expands on the connections between extreme pronatalism and reproductive rights restrictions through eight case studies: Iran, China, Turkey, Russia, Hungary, Poland, Germany, and the US. The report’s author, PM Researcher and Policy Adviser Monica Scigliano, explains.

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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.

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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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