Dear John
All of us here at Population Matters want to express our shared concern at the COVID-19 outbreak and its impacts upon people and societies globally. At PM, we are fortunate in that we already all work from home, so it hasn’t had the impact on us that many other organisations are facing. We have had to cancel or postpone some plans, but we’re continuing with our core work and thank you, as always, for your support. We very much hope all our members
and supporters are staying safe and following the best medical and official advice. We are inspired by the tireless work of health care professionals and communities around the world and call on governments to do all they can to protect lives and livelihoods. That also means that those of us in richer countries should not forget that the virus could have an even more devastating impact where people are poorer and infrastructure and health services are weaker. At a time when borders are closing, it’s important we pull together as a global community. You may have heard about the links between recent pandemics like coronavirus and the destruction of our natural
environment. We hope this dire situation will be a wake-up call for world leaders that stronger environmental policy won’t just protect nature, but protect human life too. You can read our recent blog post on this topic here. Finally, we hope you are able to spend some time in nature, if you can, as there is nothing quite like it to lower stress levels and feel connection in this time of social distancing! I also recommend our YouTube channel. You’ll find a trove of interesting and entertaining short videos on there to fill some of the long hours. Enjoy the small things - for me it's the blossoms, courting birds and buzzing bees - and please do take care of yourselves and each other.
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