Population growth contributes to climate change because each additional person causes emissions—especially in high- and middle-income countries. While affluent populations cause the overwhelming majority of global emissions, low-income populations are the most at-risk for climate impacts. Rapid population growth in low-resource settings increases climate vulnerability and endangers more people who lack the resources necessary to readily adapt and recover.
Slowing population growth through rights-based interventions (e.g. increasing access to voluntary family planning) has profound implications for lowering emissions, improving climate adaptation outcomes, and meeting global sustainable development goals.
By including population trends and dynamics in higher education, we can prepare tomorrow’s professionals to work toward cost-effective, rights-based solutions to climate change and other environmental challenges—namely, voluntary family planning and girls’ education.
Free Academic-Style Resources
Population Connection offers academic-style resources freely and encourages everyone—professors, students, activists, and the general public—to download, use, and share them widely! Browse our resource list for comprehensive analyses on the links between population dynamics and climate change, sustainable development solutions through reproductive health, human impacts on the environment, and zoonosis.
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The connections between population growth, health, development, and the environment are complex and can be difficult to articulate if you don’t spend all day, every day, working on them like we do! Book a guest speaker for your class, organizational meeting, or special event to help explain these connections and how they’re part of a broader human rights and sustainable development global agenda. As an integral part of our outreach strategy, our trained speakers seek to engage college-level students, Population Connection members and their networks, and progressive activists in thinking about human population dynamics through lively, thought-provoking presentations focused on causes and impacts as well as solutions to global population challenges.
Invite a Speaker to Your Classroom or Group
Hannah Evans
Senior Analyst
Contact Hannah!
“Thank you for your guest lecture. I speak on behalf of the students and myself that we enjoyed your talk deeply and appreciate the insights you shared connecting population, climate change, health, and women’s rights. This is an important issue that deserves attention both locally and internationally. Many thanks also to Population Connection for supporting this advocacy and educational program.” Dr. Idowu "Jola" Ajibade, Professor of Geography, Portland State University
Informational Briefs
We offer comprehensive, academic-style informational briefs on topics ranging from population and climate change to global reproductive health and zoonosis. These resources provide an in-depth, critical analysis of the ways in which population dynamics intersect with other global issues, including climate change, sustainable development, women’s empowerment, planetary health, and much more!
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Slide Presentations
Check out our resources page for free slide decks on a variety of themes related to population dynamics and climate change. These resources are curated for college classrooms but are applicable pretty much anywhere–advocacy, organizational meetings, meetups, you name it!
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Recommended Readings
Browse suggested readings on the intersections between population, health, and the environment. Recommended readings include academic sources, organization- and coalition-authored publications, and online articles.
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“Thank you for the very well-presented and informative presentation. There were a few other instructors in attendance, and they all found me to let me know how much they enjoyed your presentation and how it was eye opening, even for them. I hope we are able to have you come up again next year!” Dr. Cari Lange, Professor of Anthropology and Forensic Science, Assistant Dept. Chair of Life Sciences, Ventura College
“I think your visit to Texas A&M had a big impact and worked in far different ways than I ever expected. What I had not figured on was how many women would see you as a role model… The students immediately identified with you. This gave everything you said far greater impact than what I was expecting. I was totally impressed. Assume that now and forever you have a permanent invite to Texas A&M.” Dr. Samuel Cohn, Professor of Sociology, Texas A&M
“Thank you for your presentation. I’m glad you could share the important work you do with Berkeley Earth Day. We were very impressed with your presentation and think you did an excellent job. Thanks so much!” Hope Bohanec, Executive Director, Compassionate Living, Organizer, Berkeley Earth Day