October 2023 Update

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OCTOBER 2023

Dear John,

October saw the release of our brand-new report, _Vanishing Icons_, which
looks at six case studies of "charismatic megafauna" - tigers, elephants,
mountain lions, chimpanzees, orcas and hedgehogs - all of which are at risk
of extinction due to the pressures of human population growth.

This month we published blogs on a variety of subjects, including upcoming
fundraising projects in the festive period, a look at International Repair
Day and a piece celebrating International Day of the Girl Child. 

Finally, our action item this month involves our brand-new autumn magazine,
released last week. Please do read and share it if you can! 

As always, thanks for your continued support.

- The PM team

POPULATION MATTERS NEWS

New PM report looks at the impact of human numbers on six iconic species

Population growth is driving our most loved animals to extinction. Since
1970, the global human population has increased from 3.7 billion to over 8
billion. In the same time frame, global wildlife populations have plummeted
by 69% on average. 
 

Our new report, _Vanishing Icons_, takes a look at six species and shows
how our actions and numbers are threatening the natural world. For example,
did you know that more than half of tiger habitat is less than 5km from a
road? Or that only 17% of suitable African habitat is accessible to
elephants due to human activity? Please click below to find out more.

Read more [3]

Do ageing populations need more babies?

Birthgap Facts, which Population Matters contributed to, debunks claims in
the three-part 2021 film _Birthgap - Childless World, _which has gained the
attention of media and policymakers. The alarmist documentary asserts that
declining fertility rates are a crisis, instead of a good thing.

Read more [4]

Festive fundraising is just around the corner

In this blog, Fundraising Officer Anthony Howarth takes us through the busy
schedule ahead in the two months before Christmas. Included are some
festive challenges, a look at Population Matter's social media accounts and
some Christmas gift ideas.  

Read more [5]

POPULATION & ENVIRONMENT

David Attenborough speaks the truth  

On the release of his new series, Pl_anet Earth III, _David Attenborough
has labelled the amount of space humanity takes up as 'selfish'.

_“The huge problem is the way we have gobbled up space as though it
belongs to us and nobody else. And the notion that you should actually have
to restrain yourself in order to accommodate the natural world is not one
which everybody feels.”_

Read more [6]

Don't bin it: repair and reuse for the planet

This month was International Repair Day, a day to think beyond the
consumerism of the modern world and focus on getting more from what we
already own. Our Digital and Communications Manager, Ben Stallworthy, had a
look at why the day carries an important message, some of the less obvious
benefits and how it dovetails perfectly with our _We Don't Buy
It _campaign. 

Read more [7]

Paying tribute to environmental journalist John Vidal, who died this
month 

We were incredibly sad to learn that John Vidal passed away earlier in
October. A trusted and courageous environmental journalist and friend to
Population Matters, he was a recipient of one of our Change Champions 2023
awards in July, an honour which he described as, _"...the award I am most
proud of!"_

Population Matters' President, Sir Jonathon Porritt, paid tribute in his
obituary;

_“I’ve never known any journalist who so effectively combined
uncompromising integrity, understated courage, mischief, irreverence and
hard-hitting, compassionate eloquence in all his writing. He was just a
wonderful friend and true champion for the environment.”_

Read more [8]

WOMEN'S RIGHTS & SEXUAL HEALTH

The world continues to fail the girl child

The 11th of October was International Day of the Girl Child. To mark the
day, our Partnerships, Advocacy and Voice Manager, Abimbola Junaid spoke to
the importance of speaking out on behalf of girls everywhere, while also
raising their voices whenever we can. Abimbola also pointed towards failing
global goals and the absolute need to invest heavily in their futures.  

Read more [9]

Empowering Women in four steps

We recommend this fascinating interview from friend of Population Matters
Veronika Perková, with Steven Bloomstein, co-founder of Turimiquire
Foundation (TM). A former Empower to Plan partner, TM has helped thousand
of women in Venezuela access family planning and essential information. You
can read or listen to the interview by clicking below.   

Read more [10]

Pushing back on pronatal rhetoric in the UK

After the Conservative MP Robert Jenrick suggested the need for British
families to have more babies to care for an ageing population, we were
pleased to see a number of letters in The Guardian rejecting his position.
This included a contribution from our Head of Campaigns and Communications,
Alistair Currie;

_"Jenrick proposes we build more houses to encourage more babies, who will
in turn need more houses. Where does he imagine this pyramid scheme
ending?"_

Read more [11]

TAKE ACTION

SHARE OUR ONLINE AUTUMN MAGAZINE WITH ONE PERSON TODAY!

Have you read our Autumn 2023 magazine yet? It's filled with information
about our work over the last 6 months, including our projects around the
globe, how we observed World Population Day 2023 and a goodbye to our
departing Executive Director, Robin Maynard.

Please also consider sending this online version of the magazine on to one
more friend, family member or colleague. It's vital that we spread the
population conversation far and wide and the magazine perfectly distills
the way in which the organisation works towards its goals and objectives! 

Read and share today [12]

Quote of the month

_“The natural world is not always there, simply because we have now
become such a dominant species in terms of numbers. We have now got to
realise that we have to live together, and not live just entirely on the
terms that we choose.”_

- Sir David Attenborough, naturalist, broadcaster and PM patron     

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© 2023 Population Matters

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