: World population

News from Population Matters.

  • Sunlit trees banner

    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…

  • Membership banner

    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…

  • Mexico City crowd banner

    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…

  • Big Baby with placards banner

    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.

  • Kibera women banner

    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…

  • 11,000 scientists call for population action to prevent catastrophic climate impacts

    This week marked the publication of the Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency – a paper signed by more than 11,000 scientists from around the world warning of “untold human…

  • Cracked earth banner

    Scientists call for improving contraceptive use to fight climate change

    A new commentary article published in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, and picked up by the Daily Mail, urges wide-scale adoption of policies that aim to increase the use of…

  • UN building flags banner

    UN Climate Action Summit fails to deliver climate action

    The UN’s Climate Action Summit in New York City wrapped up yesterday, leaving many environmentalists feeling deeply disappointed. Despite pressure from youth activists led by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, a record-breaking…

  • 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…