Forests and their critical role in climate change
Forests cover around 30% of our planet—and if you’re reading this post, you yourself might live close enough to wooded areas to take them for granted. However, as with many of our natural resources, the future of our forests is in peril. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the […]
Water Scarcity Halts Development in Utah, Nation’s Fastest Growing State
I read this article about drought in Utah from my home office in Maine during a thunderstorm so severe it sent my dog under the bed in hiding. I had just finished grumbling to my husband about having watered the garden that morning, since the forecast only showed a 50% chance of rain, and I […]
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All Means SRHR for People with Disabilities, Too
Happy Disability Pride Month! Globally, about 15%, or one billion people, experience some form of disability. Eighty percent of people with disabilities live in low- and middle-income countries, and 20% of the poorest people living in these countries have a disability. This month, we’re celebrating uniqueness and diversity in their fullest forms while fighting systemic […]
Pandemic-Era Pregnancy Prevention
In a country where the majority of health care coverage is tied to people’s employment, job losses due to Covid-19—which have predominantly impacted women and their families—have disrupted access to reproductive health care. According to the Center for American Progress, during the first ten months of the pandemic-induced recession, women—overwhelmingly those of color—lost a net […]
The Current State of Global Food Insecurity
Chronic food insecurity is a global, long-standing problem—we outlined the links between rapid population growth and food insecurity previously (read more here). Conflict and instability, climate shocks such as severe droughts and recently, swarms of locusts, and rapidly rising global food prices all contribute to food insecurity. Covid-19, which was declared a pandemic in March […]
World Population Milestones Throughout History
When Did the World Population Reach 1 Billion? Until the Industrial Revolution began, birth rates and death rates were both very high, which kept the global human population relatively stable. In fact, it took all of human history, until around 1800, to reach 1 billion people. Modern medicine and sanitation played heavily in reducing mortality […]
China amended its one-child policy. It’s still wrong.
In a radical departure from its former one- and two-child policies, China’s Communist party announced on June 1 that it would allow married couples to have up to three children. The decision — borne of a desperate attempt to raise its declining birth rate — is a measure that reflects the greater global anxiety of […]
Climate Migrants and Others Fleeing Ecological Threats Will Only Become More Common
It’s no secret that the impacts of climate change have been a driving force behind migration. As droughts, heatwaves, floods, and other climate change consequences continue to increase in severity and frequency, many climate-vulnerable communities around the globe are seeking out safer and more hospitable environments. The discussion of climate vulnerability has also made its […]
U.S. Population Growth Hasn’t Ended (Unfortunately), Despite What Some Reporters Say
While it’s exciting to finally start seeing articles about population in the news, unfortunately, most of them are bemoaning a so-called U.S. “population bust” and “demographic stagnation.” The vast majority of top-ranked comments (select the Reader Picks tab) on these articles support our position: that fertility decline and slowing population growth present opportunities for the […]
The Links Between Population and the Environment, Explained
Earth’s complex natural systems sustain all life. Biodiverse terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems also enhance human livelihoods and well-being. When human numbers were small, our impact on the environment was localized and minimal (for a visual representation of how human population numbers have grown throughout history, check out Population Education’s famous “dot” video!). However, as […]
