News

A new report reveals the extent of the damage caused by President Trump’s global family planning funding cuts. Vulnerable women and girls around the world are being deprived of vital reproductive healthcare, with devastating consequences.

We asked people why they chose to have small families and were overwhelmed by the hundreds of testimonials we received from around the world. Both parents and child-free people shared their views on small family life and how concern about the environment often played a key role in their decisions about how many children to have.

Population Matters’ annual conference in London this past Saturday left attendees feeling enlightened and inspired. This year’s theme was the crucial link between population growth and the sixth mass extinction. With an incredibly knowledgeable international panel of speakers from diverse backgrounds, it was a fantastic event that highlighted the interconnectedness of environmental and social issues and the urgent need for the conservation community to address this.

A new study reveals that rapid human population growth along the edge of the iconic Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is forcing wildlife to retreat to its core areas and endangering its ability to sustain life.

The United Kingdom is already one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, yet the onslaught on our natural environment is showing no signs of slowing. Two key new reports demonstrate that UK wildlife and freshwater sources face a dire future unless urgent action is taken to protect them.

As the latest of many scientific reports identifies population growth as a driver of biodiversity loss, Population Matters calls for action.

The UK and Scottish Governments have responded to a letter from Population Matters with platitudes and complacency. In the case of the Scottish Government, their reply was sent eight months after we first contacted them.

An online survey of over 10,000 adults across nine countries found that more than two thirds of respondents consider population growth a “global catastrophic risk”. However, less than one quarter believe the issue requires urgent action and just over half believe continued population growth will have “negative effects”, demonstrating the urgent need for increased awareness.

Funding for sexual health and family planning from European donor countries increased by 17% between 2016 and 2017, with the UK remaining one of the largest donors.