: Development

News from Population Matters.

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    Which European countries spend the most on global family planning?

    A new report shows that Europe spent a total of 845 million Euros on global sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and family planning in 2018 – an overall increase of…

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    Chris Packham: we need to talk about population

    In a powerful BBC documentary broadcast this week, Population Matters patron Chris Packham examined the challenges of population growth, and made an impassioned plea for “the elephant in the room”…

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    Here’s why 2020 could be a ‘super-year’ for nature

    Despite the climate and biodiversity crises continuing to escalate, environmentalists are calling 2020 a ‘super-year’ for nature because of several upcoming international policy meetings that have the potential to set nature…

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    2019 Year in Review

    PM director Robin Maynard reviews the year. To steal Ervin Drake’s Christmas song made famous by Frank Sinatra, ‘It was a very good year’ for Population Matters. Our Annual Report…

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    Larger population, larger people: humanity will require 80% more food by 2100

    A new study shows that increases in average human height and weight, alongside population growth, could cause global food demand to soar. The study, published in PLOS ONE, looked into…

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    Unmet needs: conversations with the women left behind

    Population Matters’ Director, Robin Maynard, summarises events at this month’s Nairobi Summit on ICPD25, and recounts his experience of meeting young women and their families in Africa’s largest slum and surrounding…

  • Time to talk population again

    This week, representatives from Population Matters will attend one of the most significant global meetings on population and development in recent years, the Nairobi Summit on ICPD 25.  They will…

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    Cracking knuckles and counting kids

    Population Matters’ Campaigns and Projects Officer, Florence Blondel, reflects on her family life in Uganda, and the changes she sees coming. There was a time when I would start to…

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    Four out of five women live in countries rated ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ for gender equality

    A major new report on the state of gender equality in 129 countries reveals that women and girls continue to be discriminated against across the globe, with four out of…

  • Wildlife conservation is incompatible with human population growth

    A major analysis found that wild animals in lower income countries benefit from social development (including improved gender equality) and economic growth, while human population growth consistently causes wildlife loss. The new study, published…