Re: The great baby bust
One of our members made us aware of an article bemoaning the "baby bust" in the print version of The Week. We responded with a letter to the editor which…
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Your Gift Matters
Rapid population growth threatens the quality of life for people everywhere.
Global population rose to 8 billion in November of 2022.
As a supporter of Population Connection, you raise awareness and educate others on the pressing issues our world faces due to rapid population growth.
We are deeply grateful to you and appreciate your commitment to our mission!
Latest Updates
Fall Updates
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With the school year in full swing, our Population Education team has been busy coordinating teacher training workshops that bring population issues to K-12 classrooms! PopEd’s curricula prepare students to become responsible global citizens by fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and informed decision-making. Educators who attend these workshops gain valuable resources and strategies for teaching about human ecology, along with related social, environmental, and economic topics. Learn more about our teacher workshops here.
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Too often, conversations surrounding population issues focus on frantic claims that falling fertility rates will destroy the economy and doom society. We’re here to dispute this misconception and offer a more accurate look at why the “baby bust” is actually good for the planet and people. Read more about the much-needed fertility transition on our latest blog post.
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The recent New York Times article, ‘What if Everyone Did Something to Slow Climate Change?’ identifies large corporations as the primary contributors to the climate crisis, and also explores the impact of individual action. In response, our communications manager, Olivia Nater, submitted an LTE that was published, acknowledging the need for top-down regulation while advocating for the removal of barriers to family planning and education. As we know, 257 million women (218 million of whom are in developing countries) who wish to avoid pregnancy lack access to modern contraception. As a result, half of all pregnancies worldwide—or 121 million per year—are unintended! Read the full LTE here.
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Staff from our sister organization Population Connection Action Fund traveled to key locations nationwide for our #Fight4HER Summits. With the support of our Field Team, local organizers at each site coordinated these impactful events, which featured speeches from elected officials, inspiring keynote speakers, and panel discussions with advocates addressing the global impact of U.S. policies and the importance of reproductive justice.
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Our field team hosted a virtual event on World Contraception Day to recap the#Fight4HER Summits and share updates with members who couldn’t attend the events in person. To learn more about our #Fight4HER campaign, watch their presentation here!
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Grab your camera on your next outdoor excursion and take a photo of yourself in a natural environment to add to the “Green Spaces of Our Lives” photo series project led by the Chair of our Board of Directors, Bryce Hach! We recently launched this new feature section on our website, comprising photo submissions from our fascinating network of supporters! We are encouraging members and supporters to share their photos and document what inspires them to work toward a sustainable future. See the current submissions and join in by submitting your own photo using the form at the bottom of the page!
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In response to the UN’s World Population Prospects 2024, we released a press release, blog post, and Op-Ed published on Earth.org, all of which were featured on the UN’s homepage for the 2024 report! Scroll down to “Partner organizations and media outreach” and find Population Connection resources listed at the third bullet point.
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The response to our third annual Summer Photo Contest was incredible! We received many inspiring photos that showcased the beauty of our world. Thank you to all who participated and shared your talents with us! Explore the 2024 winners and all other submissions here.
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The school year is in session, and Population Education’s World of 8 Billion student video contest is officially open for submissions! This year, our new global topics are Child Wellbeing, Rainforest Ecosystems, and Sanitation. We are also proud to present a call for “mini-grants” where teachers who need resources to support the contest in their classrooms can apply for funding. You can view the website and resources here!
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Our September magazine is out! Our latest issue reflects on the 30th anniversary of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, which set an agenda for achieving goals related to sexual and reproductive health, maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS, and much more. While most environmental and reproductive health and rights communities believe that population challenges have no place in modern conversations around achieving universal access to family planning—we disagree. At Population Connection, we remain committed to addressing population growth for the benefit of people and the planet. We have begun delivering statements at UN conferences to ensure these issues remain part of global health and sustainability discussions. Read the full issue here.
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Our August Page Turners Book Club discussion focused on David Attenborough’s memoir, A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future. These meetings are an excellent way for supporters to grow their knowledge and network with other Population Connection members on publications related to our work.
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Our June magazine is out! This issue focuses on Tanzania’s population trends, highlighting its high fertility rates and the resulting economic and social challenges. With a swelling population, our issue dives deeper into the implications for the country’s development and global population trends.
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Population Education (PopEd) announced the winning videos in the 2023-2024 World of 8 Billion Student Video Contest. The longstanding student video contest challenged middle and high school students to create videos related to one of these categories: Climate Migration, Invasive Species, and Global Health. Over 4,600 students from around 58 countries participated this year!
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PopEd staff and volunteer trainers presented over 70 teacher workshops in May and June. Many were for AP Environmental Science and AP Human Geography teachers preparing to teach high school courses for the upcoming school year. Educators who participate in PopEd teacher workshops learn engaging classroom activities that explore population connections across different subjects.
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A key focus of our work is to inform the public about the environmental and social impacts of rapid population growth. Misconceptions can lead to misunderstanding these critical issues, which is why we are committed to providing additional insight. Our communications team has been responding to headlines featured in major publications. Check out our responses to articles in the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Economist, and The Washington Post!
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Our May Page Turners Book Club discussion focused on Without Children: The Long History of Not Being a Mother. Participants engaged in a thought-provoking conversation on the historical and societal aspects of choosing a child-free life. These meetings are an excellent way for supporters to grow their knowledge and network with other Population Connection members on publications related to our work.
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We hosted a virtual Biodiversity Trivia event with the Center For Biodiversity! Trivia go-ers tested their knowledge and learned more about population, reproductive health, and endangered species. Put your knowledge to the test and take the trivia quiz here!
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The March issue of our quarterly magazine, Population Connection, is here! This issue focuses on how low fertility has prompted some governments in East Asia and Europe to implement pronatalist policies to encourage citizens to have more children. However, these schemes have a minimal effect on fertility rates and can be offensive to women by treating them as little more than creators of future taxpayers, consumers, soldiers, and caregivers. Read the full March Issue.
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The Population Education team led over 75 teacher workshops across several states, including New York, Massachusetts, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Michigan! Workshops include interactive, cross-curricular lesson plans that promote issue-based learning in various subjects, helping the next generation of decision-makers to think critically about population issues. Learn more about our Population Education Program.
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Along with teacher workshops, the PopEd team hosted an exhibit booth at the National Science Teachers Association Convention (NSTA) in Denver. Over 400 attendees stopped by and explored the booth. In addition, PopEd held three workshops at the NSTA Convention, two presented by staff and one given by two of their incredible trainers!
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Our sister organization, Population Connection Action Fund, is hard at work building a network of #Fight4HER activists! Through the #Fight4HER campaign, activists in six key districts advocate for policies that protect and improve access to reproductive health care at home and abroad. Learn more about our Policy Priorities.
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We are committed to addressing misinterpretations and inaccuracies in the media about demographic trends and population issues. Some outlets are portraying new fertility projections by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) published in The Lancet as a shocking impending crash in the number of births worldwide. The study shows otherwise. Read our statement on the new projections.
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Our Population Education for Higher Studies Program engages college-level students in thinking about human population dynamics by providing thought-provoking presentations and other academic materials. Presentations highlight the causes, impacts, and solutions to global population challenges. Since February, staff led 14 presentations, helping students gain new perspectives on cost-effective, rights-based solutions to population issues, climate change, and other environmental challenges. Learn more about our Population Studies or Higher Education program.
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Population Education’s professional staff facilitated nearly 60 workshops for current and future teachers. In addition, they hosted a special Earth Day webinar, Forest Lessons and Activities for Earth Day. During the interactive session, facilitators shared activities to get students thinking about their role as stewards of Earth’s forests. Learn more about our Population Education Program.
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We hosted a virtual side event to the UN’s 57th Session of the Commission on Population and Development with Population Matters and Population Media Center! During the panel discussion, speakers highlighted how addressing the critical connections between population and sustainable development can help increase international reproductive health and rights funding. Check out the recording here!
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Our sister organization Population Connection Action Fund’s #Fight4HER campaign is in full swing in six target locations. Learn more about how you can support voluntary, rights-based family planning programs!
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Nearly 200 supporters joined us for Virtual Earth Day events! We hosted President and CEO John Seager, who discussed the importance of removing barriers to family planning worldwide. Then, Dr. Céline Delacroix, Director of the FP/Earth project with Population Institute, joined us to share key findings in her recent report exploring stakeholder perspectives on the links between reproductive rights, population dynamics, and environmental sustainability.
There are 218 million women in the developing world who want to prevent pregnancy but have an unmet need for modern contraception.
Up to 1 million species are threatened with extinction in the coming decades.
One in 12 people already lives below the international poverty line of $2.15 per day.
Stabilizing population plays an important role in confronting the world’s climate crisis.
Check out our latest publications!
September Magazine Issue
Read about our recent involvement in United Nations conferences and meetings, catch up on #Fight4HER campaign happenings, and see the winners of the World of 8 Billion student video contest and of the Summer Photo Contest!
Cover image: Aerial view of Kolkata, the urban center of eastern India. The Kolkata metro area has a population of over 15 million people. (Photo by Debajyoti Chakraborty/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Read the September Issue
2024 Virtual Event archive
Virtual events are an easy and accessible way for you to learn more about population issues, connect with Population Connection staff, and meet others interested in working together for a more sustainable future for our planet.
Since 2020, we’ve engaged with our supporters by hosting a variety of virtual events to stay up-to-date on issues relating to our work. We’ve heard presentations from speakers working in the fields of conservation, reproductive rights, public health, demography, and more! Visit our event archive to view recordings, presentation slides, and speaker bios from some of our recent events.
Event Archive Available Here
2023 at a glance
Visit our Year at a Glance page for more program highlights from 2023! Your support makes our work possible, thank you so much!
2023 Highlights
1,200+ Activists
Population Connection Action Fund mobilized reproductive rights champions through training workshops, digital rallies, and online petitions
10,000+ Educators
Population Education hosted over 550 workshops for educators across 44 states and in six Canadian provinces
1,200+ Supporters
Membership Relations engaged with our supporter base through 20 virtual events, including four book club discussions and nine webinars featuring our Global Partners.
2022 at a glance
Visit our Year at a Glance page for more program highlights from 2022! We couldn’t do this important work without your support!
2022 Highlights
10,000+
Educators provided with resources to teach their K-12 students about population trends and how they impact planetary health and sustainable development through our Population Education program
400+
Activists trained and mobilized by our sister organization, Population Connection Action Fund to continue fighting for reproductive rights
1,000+
Members and supporters engaged with our virtual events, tuning in for presentations with experts in the field, book club discussions, film screenings, and more
2021 at a glance
Check out our Year at a Glance page to learn more about all we accomplished in 2021. These achievements were made possible with your support!
2021 Highlights
3,000,000
Young people inspired to think critically about our world’s population challenges via Population Education lesson plans
1,204
Legislator connections by 389 advocates during our virtual Capitol Hill Days, a joint program with Population Connection Action Fund
1,300+
Members and supporters who have RSVP’d or attended at least one virtual event