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News from Population Matters.

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    Nobel laureates: population growth a major threat

    A survey of 50 Nobel laureates has found that many recognise population growth to be among the greatest threats to humanity today. A survey carried out by Times Higher Education, in association…

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    Global initiatives support smaller families

    Accelerated population growth poses major challenges worldwide, especially for countries with high growth and few resources to cope. In response to these pressures, initiatives across the globe are underway to…

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    Smaller families most effective action on global warming

    Last week, researchers from Lund University and University of British Columbia published a widely-reported article highlighting the top ‘high-impact’ actions individuals can take to reduce their carbon emissions and fight climate change….

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    In a week in which scientists warned that other species are facing “biological annihilation”, Population Matters is urging organisations which educate the public about natural history to stop pulling their…

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    Africa: Demographic dividend or population disaster?

    By 2050, more than half of the anticipated growth in global population is expected to occur in Africa. While some leaders see this as an economic opportunity, others can sense a…

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    UK population growth highest in 70 years

    Last week, the Office for National Statistics released its mid-2016 Population Estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These statistics reveal that the number of people residing in…

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    16bn or 7.3bn in 2100? New UN figures say both possible

    The United Nations has today released new projections for global population growth up until 2100. Issued every two years, the projections for 2017 show slight increases over those produced in…

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    Report: Population key to controlling climate change

    Analysis undertaken for a comprehensive new plan to reverse global warming, Drawdown, has identified family planning and educating girls as among the top 10 workable solutions available today. Together, they would…

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    Sydney hits 5 million as Australia continues to grow

    Australia’s two biggest cities – Melbourne and Sydney – account for more than half of the country’s population growth, new statistics for 2015-16 show. With Melbourne now its fastest growing city, sprawling…

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    Is the Pope heeding warnings about population?

    According to an unconfirmed report, Pope Francis has urged people to have fewer children in order to address environmental concerns. However, the Catholic Church’s opposition to artificial contraception remains in…