8 actions for 8 billion - October Supporters' Update

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OCTOBER 2022

Dear John,

Firstly, apologies for the later-than-usual arrival of this email in your inbox this month. We updated our website this week and wanted to ensure everything was working as it should before sending this. Although you shouldn't notice too many changes, do check out the new website and if you see anything that doesn't look quite right, please let us know.

Now we turn our thoughts to 15 November, the day the UN predicts we will pass 8 billion people on the planet for the first time. To mark this milestone, we've commissioned a new report, Crisis Point: The World at 8 Billion People, and we also have 8 suggested actions you could take in the days ahead. In other news, we comment on two important environmental reports, discuss recent population happenings from around the globe and share a compelling article written by a PM consultant on the importance of sex education to young girls in India.

- The PM team

NEWS FROM POPULATION MATTERS

Population round-up from around the globe

As we edge towards 8 billion, conversations around population growth are becoming ever harder to ignore. We wanted to take the opportunity to highlight some of these conversations happening on the ground, including encouraging words on birth control from the Tanzanian president and family planning stories in Nigeria.

#8BillionAndCounting: 8 actions on or before 15 November

At 9 am (GMT) on 15 November 2022, the human population will reach 8 billion. It's a momentous occasion, but represents an opportunity to take positive action. Here are 8 suggested things you can do on or before the day, ranging from talking to 8 people about why population matters to running, walking, cycling or swimming 8km.

Crisis point: the world at 8 billion people

Did you know 8 billion people weigh a combined 496 billion kilograms, the equivalent of three million Boeing 747 aircraft? Interesting, but what does 8 billion of us actually mean for the planet? This new report digs a little deeper.

The intersection of population, poverty, and climate change

Director Robin Maynard has written a great piece in Philanthropy News Digest to mark the birth of the 8 billionth person, explaining what these numbers mean for the planet and everybody on it, including the positive solutions advocated by PM.

POPULATION & ENVIRONMENT

The Living Planet Report - nature needs a helping hand

The Living Planet Report, jointly released by WWF and the Zoological Society of London, revealed that on average wildlife populations have dropped 69% since 1970. We take a look at the report and where they have factored in human numbers.

Human numbers soar, birds plummet

After the release of BirdLife's latest State of the World's Birds report, we looked at the role of human population growth on the condition of bird populations, with one in eight bird species at threat of extinction and the majority in decline.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS & SEXUAL HEALTH

Sexual Education Key for Young Girls in India

"Education is one of the most important tools to empower individuals, especially women and young girls. According to the 2011 census, the literacy rate stands at 74% while the rate of literacy among women is just 65.46%."

An eye-opening piece on SheThePeople on the importance of sex education for Indian girls, from PM consultant Debanjana Choudhuri.

Empower to Plan: Local funding, global impact

The mission of our Empower to Plan programme is, "to enable grassroots organisations across the world to empower women, girls and entire communities to have full sexual and reproductive health and freely exercise their reproductive rights."

Please consider supporting one of the projects today.

TAKE ACTION

Gift Memberships for Christmas

With Christmas a matter of weeks away, thoughts might be turning towards what presents to get loved ones. Have you considered gifting a year's membership to Population Matters?

It may not be conventional (the best gifts often aren't), but for £30 you know you would be making a real difference to the work that we are able to do, and you will be spreading the important message that population matters. Gift memberships comprise a welcome email and postal pack with a welcome letter, gift certificate, our latest magazine and other campaign materials, which currently include a bookmark, window sticker and badge.

Find out more

Quote of the month

“The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment, not the reverse.”

- Herman Daly, Economist, Academic and member of the PM Expert Advisory Group, who sadly passed away on 28 October.

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