Dear John,

It’s been another busy month bringing population into global conversations- this time at COP30, which has just closed in Belém, Brazil. Our partners at Iracambi, a Brazilian environmental group championing climate education for young people, were on the ground ensuring population dynamics had a voice in the room. 

Youth delegates brought incredible optimism, there was a vocal and determined climate march, and leaders made inspiring commitments to turn pledges into action, but ultimately the conference ended in frustration.The final agreement - the Global Collective Effort- offered no clear roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels and is too slow-paced to meet the urgency of the climate crisis. 

In a month that has seen catastrophic flooding in Vietnam, and Iran’s president declaring Tehran would need to relocate entirely as its water supply collapses, we need more urgent, decisive global action. 

Still, the determination from civil society and young advocates offers hope. The pressure is building, and so is the recognition that people and the planet must be at the heart of climate policy.  

We recently launched our first Empower to Plan partnership- working with grassroots organisations who are driving environmental action in their communities.  

SEED in Sierra Leone protect biodiversity through mangrove conservation and help shift income away from unsustainable farming toward greener livelihoods. They address long-term community pressures by organising Mothers’ Circles, where women can access health information and support.  

Thanks to your generosity, in just a few weeks they’ve already: 

• Launched five vegetable groups to distribute seeds and begin planting  

• Started three new Mangrove Mothers’ Circles – involving 45 women in conversations about reproductive health, family planning and leadership in conservation 

• Trained their first oyster harvest group, who have completed a pilot harvest- creating a sustainable alternative to previous farming practices. 

 Stay tuned for more updates on our grassroots partners coming soon!

We know starting conversations about population isn’t always easy. That’s why our new mini-series is designed to give you clear, accessible facts about what a growing global population means for the world around us, to help you go out and spark those conversations. 

• Since 1970, the human population has grown 123%, while wildlife declined 73% (WWF’s 2024 Living Planet Report) 

• Population growth may not be happening at the same rate everywhere, but if everyone used resources at the rate of the USA, we’d need 5.1 Earths. At Nigeria’s rate, we’d need just 0.7. (Global Footprint Network) 

• 50% of the world’s habitable land is currently being used for agriculture (Our World in Data). 

What conversation starters do you use? We’d love to hear them. Drop us a message on any of our social channels and your suggestions may feature in next month’s update! 

Stay part of the discussion by following us on social media, where this month we’ve been sharing your anti-consumption Black Friday tips, along with updates from key conferences, events, and policy debates.