: World population

News from Population Matters.

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    Family planning services still falling behind population growth

    According to a new study, the number of women of reproductive age who wish to avoid pregnancy but who are not using any modern form of birth control is currently…

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    The ‘blue acceleration’: ocean plunder in the Anthropocene

    A new study highlights the rapidly increasing pressure on the world’s oceans as a result of human population growth and burgeoning demand for resources. The paper, published in One Earth,…

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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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    Wildlife habitat crumbling under weight of human footprint

    A new study shows that the majority land-dwelling vertebrate species are now under intense human pressure due to population growth and land use change. The study, published in Global Ecology and Conservation, examines the human…

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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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    Big Baby calls for small families to cut CO2

    With the critical COP25 climate change meeting opening in Madrid, Population Matters’ 7m-high Big Baby brought a critical message to Westminster on Friday: cutting population growth through choosing smaller families is vital to fight climate change.

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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…