News
United Nations adopts landmark resolution on adolescents and youth 28 April 2012
Source: IPPF
NEW YORK - Late Friday at the 45th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD), member states issued a bold resolution in support of young people’s sexual and reproductive health and human rights.
Royal Society calls for a more equitable future by focusing on population and consumption 26 April 2012
Source: The Royal Society
Consumption levels between developed and developing nations must be rebalanced alongside a stabilisation of the world's population by voluntary methods, according to a new report launched today by The Royal Society.
PSN on the New Security Beat Blog: Rio+20 should re-identify family planning as a priority 25 April 2012
Source: Woodrow Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Programme (ECSP)
In a video interview with the Woodrow Wilson Centre, PSN's Karen Newman speaks about her hopes for the forthcoming Rio+20 conference which marks the 20 year anniversary of the UN Earth Summit.
Mother: Caring for 7 Billion, 24 April, Royal Society of Medicine 25 April 2012
Source: The Royal Society of Medicine
Yesterday PSN’s Karen Newman spoke at the UK premier of the award winning documentary Mother: Caring for 7 Billion. The screening and panel discussion was organised by the Royal Society of Medicine is took place in London.
PCCA on the New Security Beat Blog: population and sustainability links 23 April 2012
Source: Woodrow Wilson Center Environmental Change and Security Programme (ECSP)
In a video interview with the Woodrow Wilson Centre, PSN's Karen Newman explains that while the links between population and sustainable development are complex and controversial, they are critical.
Youth group calls for Rio+20 to advance sexual and reproductive rights 20 April 2012
Source: Advocates for Youth
A petition from the organisation Advocates for Youth is calling on leaders at Rio+20 to make young people's sexual health and rights a priority at the forthcoming UN sustainable development summit.
Reaffirmation of women's rights key to Rio+20 success 16 April 2012
Source: IPS News
Previously agreed commitments to women's rights and links to sustainable development are being undermined as part of the Rio+20 process, warns Sascha Gabizon of the Women's Major Group for the forthcoming summit, in an interview with has U.N. Bureau Chief Thalif Deen.
Planet Under Pressure Conference: was population a bridge too far? 11 April 2012
Source: Woodrow Wilson Center Environmental Change and Security Program
In a blog sharing impressions of Planet Under Pressure conference which took place in London last month, the Woodrow Wilson Centre has reflected on whether nuanced discussion on the difficult topics of population and human health was a bridge too far, and reports on efforts by PSN and colleagues to influence the debate.
New PSN briefing on population and fragile states 10 April 2012
Source: PSN
PSN has a new briefing setting out the links between population dynamics and fragile states.
Planet Under Pressure focuses on meeting the challenge of rapid urbanisation 28 March 2012
Source: Triple Pundit / Planet Under Pressure
Addressing the social, environmental and economic challenges associated with rapid and growing urbanization is bringing some 3,000 experts from around the world together in London this week for the Planet Under Pressure 2012 conference.
Population is important for planetary and social boundaries, says PCCA at Rio+20 informal negotiations 23 March 2012
Source: PSN
PSN and the Population and Climate Change Alliance (PCCA) has an article in Outreach Magazine, published today at the Rio+20 informal-informal negotiations taking place in New York, calling for a key focus on population and reproductive rights on the Rio+20 agenda.
PSN speaks at expert meeting on family planning and sustainable development 20 March 2012
Source: PSN / Countdown 2015 Europe
PSN’s Karen Newman has delivered a presentation at a high-level expert meeting on Family planning and inclusive and sustainable development in the future of European development cooperation held in Brussels today.
UK to host event on family planning in July 2012 14 March 2012
Source: DFID
The UK Government is working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and partners to host a Family Planning summit in London in July 2012.
Climate-linked migration poses growing humanitarian threat 13 March 2012
Source: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Climate change will cause an upward surge in migration this century, and governments in disaster-prone Asia-Pacific nations must promptly enact a broad range of measures to stave off future humanitarian crises, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report released today.
Children left behind in world's city boom: UN 28 February 2012
Source: AFP
More than one billion children now live in crowded cities around the world but too many are stuck among the poorest of the poor without electricity, water or education, according to a new report from UNICEF.
Nature Climate Change Journal publishes letter by PSN 24 February 2012
Source: PSN
A letter from PSN has been published in the March 2012 issue of Nature Climate Change Journal, highlighting increased investment in voluntary family planning programmes that respect and protect rights as a cost-effective strategy for supporting climate change adaptation.
Civilisation faces 'perfect storm of ecological and social problems' say Blue Planet prize winners 20 February 2012
Source: The Guardian
Celebrated scientists and development thinkers today warn that civilisation is faced with a perfect storm of ecological and social problems driven by unsustainable population increase, overconsumption and environmentally malign technologies.
The demographic dividend and development: New briefing from PPD ARO 16 February 2012
Source: Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO)
A new policy briefing is available from PSN member Partners in Population Development Africa Regional Office providing information to help promote policies to support a demographic dividend in Africa.
Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar connect family planning with environmental health 15 February 2012
Source: by Eric Zuehlke, Population Reference Bureau
A new article published by Population Referenfce Bureau (PRB) highlights an integrated population, health environment (PHE) project by PSN member Blue Ventures.
Resilient people resilient planet: New UN report on global sustainability 30 January 2012
Source: Population Institute
A group of global policy makers examining ways to combat challenges such as climate change, water scarcity and human consumption patterns, has presented its findings to the UN Secretary-General.
Help us keep women & newborns a UK government priority 20 January 2012
Source: Manifesto for Motherhood Coalition & PSN
PSN and other members of the Manifesto for Motherhood coalition have sent a letter encouraging the UK government to remain committed to reproductive, maternal and newborn health.
PCCA responds to the Rio+20 zero draft 19 January 2012
Source: PSN
The Population and Climate Change Alliance (PCCA) has issued a response to the zero draft of the Rio+20 outcome document, setting out recommendations for ensuring a necessary focus on the importance of population dynamics and reproductive health and rights for sustainable development.
Worldwide decline in abortion stalls as increase in contraceptive use slows 18 January 2012
Source: The Guttmacher Institute
After a period of substantial decline, the global abortion rate has stalled, according to new research from the Guttmacher Institute and the World Health Organization (WHO), which notes that the plateau coincides with slowdown in what had been a steady increase in contraceptive use.
Challenges of climate change and population 2 January 2012
Source: The Guardian (Nigeria)
Consideration of population dynamics is essential for the response to climate change, argues UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Director Dr Babatunde Osotimehin in an article for The Guardian Nigeria.
Reproductive rights are a win-win, says PCCA to the Rio+20 2nd Intesessional 16 December 2011
Source: PSN
The Population and Climate Change Alliance (PCCA) has an article in the stakeholder magazine Outreach, published at the Rio+20 2nd intersessional meeting taking place 15-16 December, calling for a key focus on population and reproductive rights on the Rio+20 agenda.
Climate talks end with late deal, but it won't prevent catastrophic change 11 December 2011
Source: BBC News
UN climate talks have closed with an agreement that the chair said had "saved tomorrow, today" but environmental groups warn that the deal won't be enough to prevent catastrophic levels of climate change of above 2C.
Women most at risk from climate disasters, says UN report 6 December 2011
Source: UNEP
Women, particularly those living in mountain regions in developing countries, are facing disproportionately high risks to their livelihoods and health from climate change, as well as associated risks such as human trafficking, according to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Family planning effective but unpopular climate change solution, says Mary Robinson 5 December 2011
Source: Alertnet / Laurie Goering
DURBAN, South Africa (AlertNet) - As the world's population races past 7 billion, curbing population growth is crucial to slowing the climate-changing emissions people cause, scientists say.
Population and the Millennium Development Goals: the missing link 5 December 2011
Source: PSN
With the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) fast-approaching, a new article from PSN looks at the difference a focus on population could make to achievement of the MDGs.
World headed for irreversible climate change in five years, warns report 9 November 2011
Source: The Guardian
If the world's high-carbon energy infrastructure is not rapidly changed, we will 'lose for ever' the chance to avoid dangerous climate change, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Population and climate change in a world of 7 billion 8 November 2011
Source: PSN
To mark the occasion of a world of 7 billion, PSN, the APPG on Population, Development and Reproductive Health, and the UCL Institute for Global Health held a reception in the UK Houses of Parliament on 7 November, launching two publications on population dynamics, reproductive health and climate change.
PSN takes part in an International Symposium on Population, Climate Change and Sustainable Development 3 November 2011
Source: Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office & PSN
PSN's Karen Newman spoke this week at important conference in South Africa, bringing together parliamentarians, NGOs and civil society to promote a rights-based approach in responding to the links between population, climate change and sustainable development.
Climate change imperils global prosperity, UN warns 2 November 2011
Source: The New York Times Green Blog
A new report from the United Nations Development Program warns that if drastic measures are not taken to prepare nations for the impacts of climate change, the economic progress of the world's developing countries could stall or even be reversed by 2050.
PCCA calls for a focus on population and reproductive rights at Rio+20 2 November 2011
Source: PSN
PSN and the Population and Climate Change Alliance (PCCA) has submitted an input to the Rio+20 zero draft endorsed by over 30 organisations, calling for renewed-attention to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights as part of sustainable development approaches.
The world is home to 7 billion people, but how far have we come? 31 October 2011
Source: The Guardian
The population milestone is a reminder that there is much work to do on sexual and reproductive health and HIV if we are to meet the millennium development goals by 2015, writes UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin in The Guardian.
NGOs Beyond 2014 website 28 October 2011
Source: Commat
The Commonwealth Medical Trust (Commat) has launched a new website providing NGOs with information on the 20-year review of progress in the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action (PoA).
A PSN reproductive health reality check: population and climate change 27 October 2011
Source: PSN
PSN has contributed an article on the links between population, reproductive rights and climate change to popular US website Reproductive Health Reality Check.
Additional investments in youth needed as world population tops 7 billion, states UNFPA report 26 October 2011
Source: UNFPA
In five days, the world population is projected to reach 7 billion. How we respond now will determine whether we have a healthy, sustainable and prosperous future or one that is marked by inequalities, environmental decline and economic setbacks, according to The State of World Population 2011 report, published today by UNFPA.
Women's groups welcome UN Rapporteur's report on the right to health 25 October 2011
Source: AWID / Joint Statement
Women's and human rights groups around the world have welcomed a groundbreaking report from the UN Rapporteur on health, that calls on states to decriminalize abortion and remove all other legal barriers restricting women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Sub-saharan Africa: transforming population dynamics into an opportunity 22 October 2011
Source: DSW
PSN's Karen Newman gave a presentation this week at an international conference in Berlin, looking at how to transform population dynamics into an opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Mapping population and climate change: resource from PAI 15 October 2011
Source: Population Action International (PAI)
Population Action International (PAI) has published an updated guide to its interactive mapping website which shows how climate change and population dynamics will change the world over time.
World Habitat Day – The poor bear the brunt of climate change, says UN 3 October 2011
Source: Office of the UN Commissioner for Human Rights
GENEVA (3 October 2011) - "Not much to celebrate on World Habitat Day, when close to a third of the global population continues to live in slums and unplanned settlements, often located in areas exposed to serious environmental risks and hazards," said the UN Special Rapporteurs on Housing, Raquel Rolnik, and on Internally Displaced Persons, Chaloka Beyani.
UN Human Rights Council adopts groundbreaking maternal mortality resolution 29 September 2011
Source: Center for Reproductive Rights
A ground-breaking resolution was adopted yesterday by the UN's Human Rights Council, in which States reaffirm their commitment to addressing the root causes of preventable maternal deaths and disability.
Today is earth overshoot day, warns the Global Footprint Network 27 September 2011
Source: Global Footprint Network
Humanity is surpassing nature's budget for the year, and is now operating in overdraft, according to Global Footprint Network calculations for 2011.
Is there enough investment in young people? 19 September 2011
Source: UNFPA / The Lancet
In a piece, published in the Lancet.com, UNFPA's Executive Director argues for greater investment in the health and education of young people, who now number some 1.8 billion, and comprise a powerful force for development.
Gender equality: economic growth is not enough 19 September 2011
Source: The Economist
A new report from the World Bank shows that economic development alone will not be enough to balance the scales to overcome gender equality.
PSN joins the UNFPA 7 billion actions campaign 14 September 2011
Source: UNFPA
PSN is supporting a campaign launched by the UNFPA with the unique message for everyone in the 7 billion world: You are one of 7 Billion. Every individual and organization has a unique role and shared responsibility to address issues that affect us all.
Civil society Rio+20 declaration promotes universal reproductive health for sustainability 9 September 2011
Source: UN-NGLS & PSN
A civil society declaration for Rio+20 was adopted this week, highlighting the significance of population dynamics to sustainable development and calling for increased efforts to ensure universal reproductive health.
Humanitarian aid for rape victims: end US policy banning abortion aid to victims in conflict zones 8 September 2011
Source: New York Times, Editorial
A coalition of human rights groups and legal and medical experts has issued a call to lift a US policy banning abortion aid, which is applied to women raped during conflict.
PSN urges UK govt to put population on Rio+20 agenda 26 August 2011
Source: PSN
In a response to a parliamentary inquiry, PSN has called on the UK government to seize opportunities to advance sustainable development through a focus on population issues at the 2012 Earth Summit.