The 15 May marked six months since the symbolic day we passed 8 billion humans on the planet. Here’s a run-down of what Population Matters has been up to in that time (during which we have added over 35 million people to the world's population).

International Day of Biodiversity, 22 May, marked the end of Population Matters’ Spring Action Month. Fundraising Officer, Anthony Howarth, recaps some of the highlights from the month of fundraising. Thanks to everyone who got involved! 

This World Population Day, we will be holding a webinar on the importance of education to stemming population growth with a panel of partners who can speak to their experiences on the ground around the world. We will be sending out more information very soon!

We have just opened our brand-new campaign materials shop to help spread the population conversation with leaflets, bookmarks and badges. With World Population Day coming up, now's the perfect time to put your order in!

The UK’s population is currently projected to rise to 70 million by 2036, an increase of two million above today’s figure. There is ample evidence both of the negative impact of population growth on the UK and of deep public concern about it. 

If you are a UK supporter, please join us in contacting senior UK politicians and asking them to establish an independent official body to conduct research and policy analysis on demography, and provide objective, evidence-based advice to the government, parliament and the public on this issue.

The release of a new report caused a bit of a stir this year. The Guardian’s headline ran “World ‘population bomb’ may never go off as feared, finds study”, and many people took to Twitter to ask questions along the lines of, “What were you worried about?”.

Earth4All’s People and Planet report is the latest attempt at modelling sustainable population projections through the 21st century. It may have caused a number of exaggerated newspaper headlines, but are its projections of a significant fall in population by 2100 plausible?

The recent National Conservativism Conference attracted a lot of newspaper column inches for what was a brand-new event on these shores. Backbench MP Miriam Cates made a bit of a splash with a speech focusing on family values and the importance of having children. Is there anything to be wary about here? 

As part of our Gilead Watch campaign, we are monitoring developments around the world where governments are using coercive methods to advance their pronatal agendas.

This has included recent developments in Afghanistan, Italy, Russia, Turkey and the US.