Support Abortion Access on International Safe Abortion Day
The majority of Americans believe people should have a say over whether to continue their own pregnancies. But since the Supreme Court agreed in May 2021 to hear the case…
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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!
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.
Latest Updates
August 2023
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We’re excited to announce the topics for the 2023 -2024 World of 8 Billion student video contest! Each year this competition invites middle and high school students to create videos on the impacts of population. Thousands of students are now more aware of the vast connections between population and so many of today’s pressing global challenges. This year’s topics are climate migration, invasive species, and health. Learn more about the World of 8 Billion contest here.
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At our latest book club meeting, we delved into the pages of Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity. Our discussion was enriched by the passionate attendees who engaged us in a thoughtful dialogue concerning the critical topics of overconsumption and rapid population growth, both of which contribute significantly to environmental degradation. Learn more about our Book Club discussions here!
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The portrayal of population dynamics in the media is often misleading. Our team is committed to providing a well-rounded perspective on these crucial issues, promptly addressing the misinterpretations and inaccuracies that frequently surface in news coverage. Explore our latest Letters to the Editor to here!
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Over 50 supporters tuned in for a presentation with our Global Partner, the African Education Program (AEP), which works to unlock the potential of Zambia’s youth and adults by building and growing community-led initiatives. Through our Global Partners program, we support a roster of international organizations dedicated to enhancing accessibility to education, public health, and family planning services. Our partners play a crucial role in their local communities, marking the culmination of our collective efforts to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all. You can watch a recording of the presentation here!
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Our communications team works hard to introduce population-related topics to mainstream media sources. Our Communications Manager, Olivia Nater, recently had a letter to the editor featured in The New York Times. Additionally, Senior Analyst Hannah Evans was invited to speak on the Climate Optimists podcast for the second time, where she highlighted the positive outcomes of population decline.
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Population Education has already hosted 48 workshops since the start of the year! Through these workshops, teachers and students are learning to think critically about population dynamics and its role in global issues.
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The World of 8 Billion student video contest has closed and videos are under review! The 2022-2023 contest received over 2,400 submissions from students across 45 countries, challenging them to use digital skills to propose solutions for global problems related to population. This year’s topics were: Climate Change, Gender Equality, and Waste.
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Thanks to our generous donors, we’ve expanded our support to more Global Partners, whose work helps stabilize global population. We’ve been showcasing their incredible work through our NEW Global Partners Series. In February we heard from Kamal Rawal, Executive Director of Rural Women’s Development and Unity Center (RUWDUC) about the scope of RUWDUC’s work in collaboration with Population Connection. You can watch the recording here.
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Our Population Education team has been busy, leading 89 teacher workshops across several different states including; Mississippi, Iowa, Georgia, and Ohio! Learn more about our Population Education Program.
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Along with training teachers on engaging ways to teach their students about population dynamics and environmental issues, our Population Education Team hosted an exhibit booth at National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). At the event, we engaged with over 400 teachers who visited the booth and chatted with staff. Our PopEd team reports they the #MyPopNumber activity was a big hit!
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We’re co-hosting our annual advocacy event, Capitol Hill Days, in collaboration with our sister organization, Population Connection Action Fund. The three-day event features advocacy sessions, workshops training, and speaking events with experts in the field. Learn more about our policy priorities.
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You may have seen media coverage about a new report that argues that population growth is in fact not a big problem, and that projects a global population peak of less than 9 billion. Many of the claims around this report are misleading. Read our statement.
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Our Population Education team presented 70 workshops and webinars for teachers including staff trips to Arizona, South Carolina, and southern Virginia. Training for educators helps achieve an important component of our mission– helping the next generation of decision-makers to think critically about population issues! Learn more about our Population Education Program here.
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Each year, together with our sister organization, Population Connection Action Fund, we host our signature advocacy event, Capitol Hill Days. From April 5th to 7th, we were joined by passionate activists, eager to learn the latest on reproductive health and rights around the world. Sessions included discussions with health experts, training workshops, discussions, and even a trivia game! We encourage you to check out the session recordings and event recap here!
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Leading up to Earth Day, we hosted Virtual Events including a discussion with our President, John Seager, and an engaging presentation from Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Founder and Executive Director of Conservation Through Public Health and Population Connection board member. It was inspiring to have over 200 supporters engage with us through these Earth Day Virtual Events!
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Our Communications Team is always looking to incorporate a demographic lens when discussing global issues. In the last month our Vice President for Communications, Marian Starkey, had two letters to the editor published—one in the New York Times and one in the Idaho State Journal. Between interviewing three more Global Partners and writing thought-provoking blog posts, our Communications Manager, Olivia Nater, also had a letter to the editor published in the Boston Globe!
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The judging of approximately 3,000 videos created for the World of 8 Billion International Video Contest is complete! Explore the winning submissions, along with winners’ bios and pics here!
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At our latest Page Turners Book Club meeting, we were joined by Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka to discuss her new memoir, Walking with Gorillas: The Journey of an Africa Wildlife Vet. Nearly 40 supporters participated in the discussion, eager to hear first-hand insights from Dr. Gladys herself. A recording of the discussion is available here!
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We kicked off our Summer Photo Contest! We encourage you to let your creativity soar and capture the moments that ignite your passion for protecting our planet. Every photograph has the potential to make a profound impact and inspire others to take action for positive change— and the winning photograph will be featured in our upcoming quarterly magazine! You can find more information on the contest here, including photo guidelines and criteria for submission.
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An UN-commissioned survey on people’s perceptions of human population size revealed that the most commonly held belief is that our population is too large. The findings were reported in UNFPA’s State of World Population 2023 report, which explores how some attitudes toward population trends can be harmful. Read more of our key takeaways from the report in our latest blog post!
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For this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity, we celebrated with a presentation from our Global Partners at Lemur Love! The organization’s ongoing research presence aids in preserving Madagascar’s biodiversity and helps foster meaningful connections with the communities living in and around biodiverse hotspots. You can watch a recording of their presentation here.
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Even with school out for summer, our Population Education team is staying busy training teachers nationwide! Population Education held over 70 workshops in June alone, equipping educators with the skills and resources needed to incorporate population-related lessons in their classrooms. Learn more about our Population Education Teacher Workshops here!
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In the latest issue of our Population Connection quarterly magazine, we journey into the Congo Basin, a unique biodiversity hotspot. The Congo Basin is also a critical tool in the fight against climate change, and is under increasing pressure from deforestation driven by subsistence farming, expanding settlements, and commercial activities. Read the full issue here.
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We marked World Rainforest Day with our Colombia-based partner, Women for Conservation (W4C)! More than 75 Population Connection members and supporters tuned in for an engaging presentation where we learned more about the organization’s community-based programs. In addition, they shed light on how our partnership supports W4C’s programs that help to deliver accessible reproductive healthcare to rural communities residing in biodiversity hotspots. A recording of the presentation is available here!
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June marked one year since the US Supreme Court dealt a devastating blow to reproductive rights by overturning the constitutional right to abortion. In a recent blog post, our Field Coordinator, Grace Long summarizes the impacts of the Dobbs ruling across the country and how people are fighting back. Read the full post here.
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Population Education has been busy training staff across the nation at their annual leadership institutes. Our team gathered with educators in New Orleans and Seattle and are thrilled to welcome over 40 NEW trainers to our incredible Population Education Trainers network. Trainers are a key pillar in our work by leading Population Education activities that encourage participants to make connections between our human population and related environmental and social issues. Learn more about our Population Education Trainers Network here!
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Our second annual Summer Photo Contest wrapped up this month. We had over 100 submissions from supporters, capturing diverse experiences, landscapes, and moments. These amazing photos remind us of the power of visual storytelling and its ability to transcend boundaries and connect people. You can explore all 2023 Summer Photo Contest submissions here!
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Leading up to World Population Day, our Communications Team wrote LTEs, press releases, and blog posts for submission for publication in mainstream media outlets. One particular op-ed was in response to Elon Musk’s latest comments on population growth. Be sure to check out all of our World Population Day resources here!
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We marked World Population Day with an engaging virtual discussion from our Communications Team. During their presentation, they dispelled misleading claims surrounding falling fertility rates and outlined the many environmental benefits of slower population growth. They also discussed potential solutions to economic challenges posed by an aging population. You can watch a recording of their presentation here!
Check out our latest publications!
September Magazine Issue
Aging and slower population growth are inevitable as countries develop and women gain agency over their childbearing. There are myriad ways for economies to adjust to these shifting demographics, mainly through growth in productivity.
Photo: People hiking on Spencer Island, located within the Snohomish River Estuary, near Everett, Washington, on May 28, 2023. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Read the September Issue
2023 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
2022 at a glance
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
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
2021 at a glance
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