News from Population Matters.
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Population and family size – tapping into the zeitgeist?
The past few months have seen an unprecedented level of attention on population and family size in the media. With articles in The Times, the Washington Post, the New York Times, The Guardian, the BBC, and many other outlets, could it be that this long-neglected issue is finally getting the attention it deserves? Population and the impact of family size…
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One-in-five UK mammals facing extinction – urgent action now
A recent study has found that one in five mammals in the UK face extinction. Climate change, loss of habitat, use of pesticides and disease were identified as main factors. PM patron Chris Packham has warned that the UK faces “an ecological apocalypse” – but one we can fix. The Red Squirrel is listed as critically endangered – photo by Malcolm…
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Plastic pollution – viral video diver talks to PM
When British diver Rich Horner captured film of himself swimming through plastic pollution off the coast of Bali, he didn’t expect it to be viewed millions of times.
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“Time is running out”: 15,000 scientists demand action
15,000 scientists have signed onto a letter warning that the Earth faces environmental disaster unless action is taken to prevent it. Their warning was published 25 years after the Union of Concerned Scientists published a similar warning in 1992. The latest warning reports that in almost every respect, our environmental crisis has worsened since then, and that “time…
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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 reduce CO2 emissions by 120 gigatons by 2050 — more than onshore and offshore wind power combined. Cover of the Drawdown book “Drawdown” is the point…
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Chris Packham speaks out on impact of population
The Times published an edited version of this article on 9 January 2017. Here is the piece in full. Population growth is stifling our green and pleasant land by Population Matters patron Chris Packham “I remember when this was all fields full of birds and butterflies.” It’s a cliché isn’t it . . . but those…
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State of Nature report overlooks population growth impact
On September 14th, more than 50 nature conservation and research organisations published the 2016 State of Nature report. The report found evidence of significant losses in biodiversity in the UK but overlooked the impact of population growth. The high brown fritillary is possibly the most threatened butterfly in the UK, due to habitat destruction The report found that…
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Porritt on British e-NGOs and population
It doesn’t take too long to open up incredibly divisive discussions about population, development and the environment. For instance, how would you respond to the following facts? 25 years ago, at the time of the ‘Feed the World’ campaign, the population of Ethiopia was around 33m. Today, it’s nearly 80m, partly as a consequence of…