News from Population Matters.
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Joan Kembabazi: girls’ education is key
At the beginning of June, Sweden hosted the Stockholm+50 conference, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. Joan Kembabazi, one of our Choice Ambassadors, attended in her capacity as a girls’ and women’s rights activist. In this guest blog, she writes about the conference and the message she brought to…
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One school, one tree at a time: climate campaigning in Uganda
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. SINCE MY CHILDHOOD, I have felt the effects of climate change. We had to evacuate our home region in 2009 because of flooding.…
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UN: Population growth driving drought
A new report published last week foresees a future in which droughts may affect over three-quarters of the world’s population, unless we take action. Climate change and population growth are identified as key drivers, with drought predicted in 23 countries to be driven primarily by population growth and in 38 by the combination of climate…
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Tackling population growth in Nigeria: Interview with Chidera Benoit
Nigeria has the largest population in Africa and is one of the fastest growing countries in the world, expected to become the third most populous by mid-century. This rapid growth, driven by a high fertility rate, is placing unprecedented strain on the natural environment as well as on already fragile social services and infrastructure. We…
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Conservation through education and family planning: Reporting from Colombia
Between July 2021 and February 2022, Empower to Plan supported Women for Conservation in the provision of environmental education workshops and family planning clinics in biodiversity hotspots of Colombia. Our Empower to Plan Project Coordinator, Catriona Spaven-Donn, visited Women for Conservation over International Women’s Day in March. In this field report, she reflects on how…
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One river, many tributaries: Talking population in Kenya
This month, Population Matters Director Robin Maynard attended the Population Conversation Symposium in Kilifi, Kenya. This key event, organised by local public health consultancy WellSense and supported by PM, brought together diverse stakeholders to discuss the wide-ranging impacts of rapid population growth and to identify the actions needed to mainstream the crucial ‘population conversation’. Starting…
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Between the bedrock and a hard place: the future of groundwater
Today is World Water Day, a global observance day to raise awareness of water-related issues and inspire action to preserve this most precious of resources. This year’s theme is ‘Groundwater, making the invisible visible’. Communications Manager Olivia Nater explores the facts around groundwater use and what it means for global water security. The invisible resource…
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One-in-three countries not making progress on women’s rights
A new report has found that while most countries are making some progress towards gender equality, this is happening much too slowly to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. In addition, a third of countries analysed have made no progress since 2015, or have moved in the wrong direction. The global picture…
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“Bleakest warning yet”: UN climate report
A major UN climate report was published last week, painting the direst picture yet of the impacts of climate breakdown. With the UN Secretary-General calling it “an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership”, the report reiterates the human-induced nature of climate change. It also stresses that to avoid mounting…
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Empower women, save the planet
Today is International Women’s Day with the theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. The event aims to showcase how critical advancing women’s rights is to solving our environmental crises – something we do every day at Population Matters! Communications Manager Olivia Nater summarises the evidence. Women are the victims and the solution Due…