Population isn’t about the numbers but our stories, choices and opportunities to change. Donate today for a better future for every person and our planet.
In biology, we share a common genetic makeup and characteristics that distinguish us from other animals. We have the ability to communicate, express ourselves through language, form societies and develop new technologies.
Humans are amazing.
But our modern obsession with growth and consumption is driving the climate crisis, is at the expense of other species, and is widening inequalities across the world.
Life is too cheap for millions of women, children and communities. Too many people are being born into a life of struggle, without access to even basic resources to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Our growing numbers threaten everyone’s right to a fair share on a healthy planet over the critical decades ahead.
it’s not all about the numbers
When people are motivated and empowered with agency for change, they can make a difference to their own lives and others. Whether it’s 16-year-old Saira in Rajasthan collaborating with other girls to end child marriage in their communities, Antonina in Poland fighting against nationalist, pro-natalist policies preventing women from accessing abortion care when its needed and wanted, or Fredrick turning his life around to clean up Korogocho slums in Kenya and champion family planning – there are incredible people across the world fighting for human equality and environmental protection.
So, imagine a future where every girl, every woman, every person has the power to choose. The power to choose an education, how many children to have and when, and have those decisions supported by their families and communities. Imagine millions more Sairas, Antoninas and Fredricks learning, understanding and acting to improve their lives and those of communities around them.
And imagine a future where those more fortunate choose to change their habits for the benefit of others. What if we really did reduce our consumption and repair, reuse and recycle everything we could? What if we put our planet, communities and fellow humans first, and not ourselves and desires for more material things?
That’s where Population Matters comes in.
a unique and trailblazing voice
Population Matters exists for all people, and planet. We are here to connect the dots and speak up when no one else will. This is the only charity in the UK talking about population growth and how it impacts our lives and environment.
We believe that where people, politicians and institutions can’t yet talk honestly about the impact of potentially billions more of us, someone has to. We believe that where there isn’t the will to change things, we must create it. Our small team, with the help of thousands of supporters like you, is working to improve everyone’s wellbeing, our planet’s health and a better future.
By donating to the We are kindred appeal, you will be supporting our core campaigns, including:
small families
We know that our work, online and through the media, is challenging preconceptions about family size, and giving ever more people an understanding of how smaller families benefit us all. Donating towards that unique campaign is your chance to support kindred spirits around the world who believe that #ChoiceMatters and empower and enable others to have equal freedoms when it comes to family planning.
research and reports
The forces that drive more people and more consumption are damaging lives but rarely exposed. From challenging the absurd pronouncements about “population collapse” made by the world’s richest man, to – for the first time ever – gathering the evidence on the threat of pro-natal policies, your donations towards our reports shine a light where others won’t. Our research offers a positive vision for the future too: our work on ageing proposes practical, viable solutions while our soon-to-be-published Population Futures research digs deep into what drives population growth and how we fix it.
Partnerships
We know our strength is in the relationships we make, the voices we amplify, the people and organisations we help, and those who help us. From the UN’s Commission on Population in New York this April, where our own Florence Blondel delivered a powerful message about the need to address population, to our support for campaigners and community projects making a real difference where people live now – people like Antonina, Fredrick and Saira – your donations are the essential catalyst for more conversations, more positive stories, and the change that arises from them.
The long view
Perhaps you won’t see the difference your donation makes tomorrow. And maybe not next year. Deep, ambitious change of the kind we seek is not quick or easy.
We know that when we keep campaigning, keep talking, keep trying to cut through the noise, then longer-term the benefits of addressing population growth and consumption will make the difference that’s needed for our children and grandchildren – our kin.
Yes, it’s a long-term view, but one we think (and you know) is worth your generous support.
Solving population growth is not a silver bullet, but addressed positively, it’s a win-win solution for both global inequality and environmental degradation. If we can reduce our consumption where it’s disproportionately high, more the better. There’s so much potential to improve countless lives and help tackle our environmental crises at the same time. We just need to prioritise quality of life across the world. It’s that simple.
Thank you for your generous donations to help people and planet.
