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Big (royal) families are behind the times

24 April 2018

The announcement of the pregnancy of the Duchess of Cambridge last year was greeted with criticism, as well as congratulations. Population Matters offered our own comment in the national media.

Families UK population World population

Population “Factfulness” – where Hans Rosling goes wrong

Hans Rosling
9 April 2018

At Population Matters we commend Hans Rosling as a brilliant communicator and a person dedicated to improving the lives of people across the world. In that spirit, we offer the following facts, which run counter to Prof Rosling’s popular but shakily founded position that population isn’t a problem and future population growth will effectively sort itself out.

Development Environment World population

Sir David Attenborough: “we need to come to our senses”

6 April 2018

Sir David Attenborough has urged the public to recognise the impact of the plastic age and population growth on the natural world.

Empowering women and melted ice: PM conference 2018

Population Matters climate change conferece 2018
5 March 2018

On Saturday, Population Matters’s 2018 conference, Climate change and Us: more feet, more heat? took place in London. Hundreds of people turned up. Our international panel covered a wide range of topics, including the effects of climate change, its impacts on food supply, the challenges of empowering women and the future paths of population and emissions.

Climate Environment UK population Women's rights World population

Global Gag Rule – one year on

22 February 2018

A year on, the effects of US President Trump's reinstated and expanded Mexico City Policy are starting to be seen. The most vulnerable countries, those for whom family planning saved lives and helped lift people out of poverty, are most affected.

Family planning Women's rights

UK Sustainable Population Policy needed now – not in 25 years

23 January 2018

Population Matters director Robin Maynard has written to the Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, to urge him to address population pressures on the UK environment.

Environment UK population

A hidden agenda? What population campaigners really want

16 January 2018

'Witches’ brew of eugenics, colonialism, coercion, hypocrisy, scientific fallacy and blaming the poor.'  the Sunday Times criticisms echo those which population concern campaigners face almost every day.

Environment World population

Imams support family planning in Senegal

Senegalese women
9 January 2018

Public health officials and NGOs in Senegal turn to mosques to expand the provision of family planning, The Christian Science Monitor reports. A key first step, results indicate.

Africa population Families Family planning Women's rights

“Time is running out”: 15,000 scientists demand action

14 November 2017

15,000 scientists signed onto a letter warning that the Earth faces environmental disaster unless action is taken. The latest warning reports that “time is running out”.

Environment World population

A century of growth: latest UK population projections

27 October 2017

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today released its projections for population in the UK over the next 100 years. They show a slowdown in anticipated population growth in comparison to the previous projections (issued in 2015) – but nevertheless, anticipate a population of nearly 73m by 2041.

UK population

Nobel laureates: population growth a major threat

6 September 2017

A survey of 50 Nobel laureates has found that many recognise population growth to be among the greatest threats to humanity today.

Environment World population

Global initiatives support smaller families

17 August 2017

Accelerated population growth poses major challenges worldwide, especially for countries with high growth and few resources to cope. In response to these pressures, initiatives across the globe are underway to provide people with the knowledge and tools they need to help turn the tide of overpopulation.

Families Family planning World population

Smaller families most effective action on global warming

21 July 2017

Last week, researchers from Lund University and University of British Columbia published a widely-reported article highlighting the top ‘high-impact’ actions individuals can take to reduce their carbon emissions and fight climate change. They concluded that having fewer children would have the greatest impact over the long term.

Climate Environment Families World population

Meet Big Foot

Big foot sculpture on World Population Day 2017
14 July 2017

In a week in which scientists warned that other species are facing “biological annihilation”, Population Matters is urging organisations which educate the public about natural history to stop pulling their punches and tell people what’s really going on.

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Africa: Demographic dividend or population disaster?

5 July 2017

By 2050, more than half of the anticipated growth in global population is expected to occur in Africa. While some leaders see this as an economic opportunity, others can sense a looming disaster unless measures to control population and support family planning are put into place.

Africa population World population

UK population growth highest in 70 years

26 June 2017

Last week, the Office for National Statistics released its mid-2016 Population Estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These statistics reveal that the number of people residing in the UK increased by 538,000 over the previous year, the largest rise in actual numbers seen in nearly 70 years. 

UK population World population

16bn or 7.3bn in 2100? New UN figures say both possible

21 June 2017

The United Nations has today released new projections for global population growth up until 2100. Issued every two years, the projections for 2017 show slight increases over those produced in 2015 – increases measured, however, in hundreds of millions of people.

World population

Report: Population key to controlling climate change

23 May 2017

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.

Climate Environment Family planning World population

Sydney hits 5 million as Australia continues to grow

31 March 2017

Australia’s two biggest cities – Melbourne and Sydney – account for more than half of the country’s population growth, new statistics for 2015-16 show. With Melbourne now its fastest growing city, sprawling suburbs of state capitals are Australia’s new boom towns

World population

Is the Pope heeding warnings about population?

5 March 2017

According to an unconfirmed report, Pope Francis has urged people to have fewer children in order to address environmental concerns. However, the Catholic Church’s opposition to artificial contraception remains in place.

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