: Economics

News from Population Matters.

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    China’s changing child policy: what does it mean?

    China’s panic over the consequences of a falling birth rate is typical of concerns across Asia and increasingly, the world’s wealthiest countries. The Chinese government’s response – moving its family…

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    Scotland’s not-so-sustainable population policy

    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…

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    “Baby drought”? Let’s focus on the real COVID-19 crises

    Mainstream media is rife with alarming headlines about how the world may soon run out of babies because the pandemic has caused people to postpone or rethink having (additional) children….

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    New report: transform economy to save nature

    Our economic and financial system is driving biodiversity loss and requires massive changes, according to a major new UK-government report, authored by economist and Population Matters patron, Prof Sir Partha Dasgupta. Addressing population growth through much greater support for family planning is one of the key solutions proposed.

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    Study: Population growth cancelling out climate change progress

    A significant new study, published in the latest edition of the Journal of Population and Sustainability, finds that more than three-quarters of the reductions in carbon emissions achieved since 1990 by…

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    Humanity headed towards ‘ghastly future’: Urgent warning from top scientists

    An important new study warns that the world is failing to grasp the gravity of our environmental crises, and that without urgent action on the underlying causes, population and consumption…

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    Can we shrink our energy footprint?

    A new study suggests we can reduce global energy consumption by 75% and still lead comfortable lives. Our Head of Campaigns, Alistair Currie, asks – can we do it?

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    Two billion fewer people?

    A new study published in The Lancet has attracted enormous attention for projecting that the global population will peak at 9.7bn in 2064 and be 8.8bn by the end of…

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    Planet of the Humans: Infinite growth is suicide

    Our Director Robin Maynard reviews Planet of the Humans, the controversial new documentary produced by Michael Moore and directed by Jeff Gibbs, released on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Planet of…

  • Study: preference for small families is ‘contagious’

    As highly social creatures, much of what we say and do is influenced by the people close to us. A new paper examines this effect on family size and consumption behaviour…