News from Population Matters.
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The most powerful action to save the planet is the most neglected one
In our latest blog post, our Digital and Communications Officer, Olivia Nater, writes that as well as being just and morally essential, achieving global gender equality would make an unparalleled contribution to improving lives, reducing emissions and halting the destruction of nature. However, it remains a chronically underfunded and overlooked solution. Empowered women who have…
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US loses ‘football field’ worth of nature every 30 seconds
A new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) reveals that more than 24 million acres of nature have been lost from the contiguous United States between 2001 and 2017 due to human development; the equivalent of one football field every 30 seconds. The fastest rate of destruction occurred in the South and Midwest,…
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Despite economic growth, billions won’t have enough fruit and veg by 2050
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. Poor diets, increasing hunger Using the WHO’s minimum recommended amount of 400 g/person per day, the study found that…
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Going global on World Population Day
This World Population Day, 11 July 2019, Population Matters went global by running events in three continents. Thanks to our supporters and allies, we had a very successful day in Lagos, Nigeria, London, UK and New York, USA, developing new partnerships, raising awareness of population issues, and pushing them up the international agenda. We received more media coverage…
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Trump administration’s reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule is killing people
A new report reveals the extent of the damage caused by President Trump’s global family planning funding cuts. Vulnerable women and girls around the world are being deprived of vital reproductive healthcare, with devastating consequences. One of Donald Trump’s first actions as US president in January 2017 was to reinstate and expand the Mexico City…
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One million species face extinction unless we address population growth
A major new UN report on the state of the world’s biodiversity grabbed headlines this week with its alarming message that nature is being destroyed faster than ever before. Three-quarters of all land environments and two-thirds of all marine environments have been severely damaged by humans over the past five decades, leading to one million…
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Letting the elephant out of the room: Our 2019 Conference
Population Matters’ public conference in London this past Saturday left attendees feeling enlightened and inspired. Following a successful first conference last year on human population and climate change, this year’s theme was the crucial link between population growth and biodiversity loss. With an incredibly knowledgeable international panel of speakers from diverse backgrounds, it was a…
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State of the World Population: Women and girls left behind
The latest UNFPA State of the World Population report highlights widespread and persistent gender inequality, with hundreds of millions of women around the world still unable to control how many children they have. ‘Unfinished business’ This year’s report, titled Unfinished Business: the pursuit of rights and choices for all, includes, for the first time, data on women’s ability…
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Human population growth squeezing out Serengeti wildlife, study shows
A new study published in the journal Science reveals that rapid human population growth along the edge of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is squeezing out wildlife and damaging the ecosystem, despite the area’s protected status. Within 40 years, human population has increased four-fold within some park boundary areas, while populations of wild animals have plummeted by up…
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UK nature under assault: failed biodiversity targets and water stress
The United Kingdom is already one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, yet the onslaught on our natural environment is showing no signs of slowing while human population continues to grow. Two key new reports demonstrate that UK wildlife and freshwater sources face a dire future unless urgent action is taken to protect…