The Overpopulation Project

A feed from The Overpopulation Project, an organization that studies the environmental impacts of overpopulation and explores humane policies to end population growth around the world. Learn more about The Overpopulation Project’s research initiatives here.

12 March 2024. Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto

Socialism or barbarism or ... social democracy with a mature acceptance of limits to growth? That’s the question posed by Kohei Saito’s provocative new best-seller. by Philip Cafaro Let me admit right up front that I’m a little jealous. As a philosophy professor who’s written a few books but no best sellers (yet!), I can’t … Continue reading Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto

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5 March 2024. Carbon emissions and the desperate search for culprits

Are rich people with their private jets the main cause of climate change? Or are the hundreds of millions joining the middle class in China and India? Or maybe large families of poor farmers in the tropics deforesting to make room for low-productive agriculture? This blog questions the search for specific culprits, which is often … Continue reading Carbon emissions and the desperate search for culprits

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27 February 2024. Kohei Saito’s Degrowth Manifesto: A nonviable solution to a misidentified problem

An obscure Japanese philosophy professor produces a surprise best seller, urging the world to slow down and shrink consumption via economic “degrowth.” Population Institute Canada’s president provides a critical overview. by Madeline Weld Until his book “Slow down: The Degrowth Manifesto” recently hit the market and became a surprise bestseller in Japan, I had never … Continue reading Kohei Saito’s Degrowth Manifesto: A nonviable solution to a misidentified problem

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20 February 2024. A new sustainability initiative of the Swiss People’s Party

While population growth lies at the root of many environmental problems, concerned citizens often feel disempowered from addressing it. A popular initiative in Switzerland may provide a blueprint for activists in other developed countries. by Roland Schmutz After Swiss voters narrowly rejected joining the European Economic Area in 1992, the European Union and Switzerland began … Continue reading A new sustainability initiative of the Swiss People’s Party

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14 February 2024. Demography and reproductive rights are environmental issues: Insights from sub-Saharan Africa

Rapid population growth impacts many social, economic, and environmental issues, and sub-Saharan Africa is the fastest growing region in the world. Céline Delacroix and Nkechi S. Owoo asked stakeholders in the region how important they think population growth is as a factor in meeting the region's challenges. By Céline Delacroix Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is growing … Continue reading Demography and reproductive rights are environmental issues: Insights from sub-Saharan Africa

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6 February 2024. Birth rates have been falling in Nigeria, though slowly. What factors cause declining fertility, according to educated people in Nigeria?

Since 1970, birth rates have been falling in most developing countries. An earlier study by TOP researchers found that Swedes generally think that improved living conditions, including economic and educational progress, are the cause for declining fertility. What do Nigerians, living in a developing country, think about declining fertility in their country? By Frank Götmark … Continue reading Birth rates have been falling in Nigeria, though slowly. What factors cause declining fertility, according to educated people in Nigeria?

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31 January 2024. Biodiversity and the roles of human population and consumption: a debate

It is the rich minority’s consumption that mainly affects the status of the Earth's life support system, according to a response in Svenska Dagbladet by David Collste at Stockholm Resilience Center and Jennifer Hinton at the University of Lund to an Op-ed by Malte Andersson and Frank Götmark. But will the poor majority consent to … Continue reading Biodiversity and the roles of human population and consumption: a debate

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24 January 2024. The Other Side of Reproductive Coercion

Reproductive coercion comes in different forms - forced sterilization as well as forcing women to bear unwanted children. Both forms must be fought. By Richard Grossman Reproductive health abuses, especially coercion, have turned many people away from concern about human population. I agree: reproductive coercion should be shunned. Examples of coercive actions include sterilization of … Continue reading The Other Side of Reproductive Coercion

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16 January 2024. Earth’s nature is being ravaged by population growth

Humanity's rapid expansion leads to environmental destruction, starvation and ravaged biodiversity. Population growth needs to be ended as soon as possible for sustainability. By Malte Andersson and Frank Götmark Published 2024-01-02 in Svenska Dagbladet, morning newspaper in Sweden (translated by TOP) In 1800, the world's population was 1 billion, but in 2022 we exceeded 8 … Continue reading Earth’s nature is being ravaged by population growth

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8 January 2024. Pronatalism on the Rise to Counter Growing Push for Gender Equality

Pronatalists try to present their ideology as promoting the security of the family, but it is linked to the far-right agenda, uses falsified data to prove their points, and counteracts gender equality. By Nandita Bajaj There’s an insidious new tactic emerging for selling right-wing ideology to wider audiences, evident in [the September 2023] Budapest Demographic … Continue reading Pronatalism on the Rise to Counter Growing Push for Gender Equality

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29 December 2023. The Quixotic pursuit of sustainability: our year in review

As TOP turned six in 2023, we continued to explore and encourage discussion of the population / environment connection, particularly regarding climate disruption and biodiversity loss. We wish all our friends, colleagues and readers “lycka till och framgång” in the new year! by The Overpopulation Project In 2023, the world held the 28th (or was … Continue reading The Quixotic pursuit of sustainability: our year in review

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19 December 2023. Can nature-based tourism offer additional protection of wildlife in developing countries with strong population growth?

Recently, a TOP blog emphasized the importance of addressing luxurious overconsumption, including the hypocrisy of rich people wanting to be seen as environmentally friendly. Is nature-based tourism merely pandering to this hypocrisy, or can sites with nature-based tourism or ecotourism be beneficial for wildlife in developing countries with increasing populations? By Oskar Lindvall and the … Continue reading Can nature-based tourism offer additional protection of wildlife in developing countries with strong population growth?

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12 December 2023. No need to hold COP 29: Just follow Japan’s lead!

Japan has accomplished the difficult task of reducing their emissions, mainly through its decreasing population. by Terry Spahr COP 28, the United Nations' annual climate summit is happening right now in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. These climate conferences have been taking place since 1995 and as Axios reported, each and every year, save for temporary recessions, … Continue reading No need to hold COP 29: Just follow Japan’s lead!

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28 November 2023. The United Nations Population Fund Promotes Population Denial

Humanity heading for 9 billion and the UN’s chief population organization says forget about numbers. What’s going on? by Madeline Weld November 15, 2022. That’s the day the world population reached 8 billion, according to the UNFPA, the United Nations organization whose original raison d’être was to help end population growth. The UNFPA (reflecting its … Continue reading The United Nations Population Fund Promotes Population Denial

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21 November 2023. Ecological Footprint and Sustainable Population

With humanity currently in overshoot, societal changes must be enacted to return to sustainable levels. While either a country's ecological footprint or population size could be altered to achieve the necessary level, combined efforts on both fronts would be most effective. By Denis Garnier, president of Démographie Responsable A sustainable population corresponds to the total … Continue reading Ecological Footprint and Sustainable Population

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14 November 2023. Declining population and GDP growth

There is a general idea among businesspeople and mainstream economists that a decreasing population is not good for the economy. Our empirical work on countries experiencing population decline suggests that a declining population can bring about changes that reduce unemployment, increase wages, and lead to a larger real GDP per capita. by Theodore Lianos and … Continue reading Declining population and GDP growth

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7 November 2023. Wealth Never Sleeps

Wishing away overconsumption without reducing population or affluence is a denial of math. By Brad Meiklejohn “It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.” –  Mark Fisher I am congenitally cheap. There is Scottish blood in my veins, which may explain why our family crest reads: “Fix it … Continue reading Wealth Never Sleeps

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1 November 2023. EurASP Statement on Migration

The European Alliance for a Sustainable Population (eurASP) is a coalition of groups with the mission to raise awareness about the impact of human population, its size and density, on planet Earth. It includes groups from seven European countries. Recently they issued the following statement on migration. by The European Alliance for a Sustainable Population … Continue reading EurASP Statement on Migration

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24 October 2023. Overpopulation as a local problem

Overpopulation is commonly associated with global ecological overshoot, but it can occur at any level from the local to the global. Ecological overshoot in industrialised countries is complicated by labour migration, especially in urban areas. Population pressure on top of ecological overshoot should force these countries to reconsider overly permissive immigration policies. by Jan van … Continue reading Overpopulation as a local problem

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17 October 2023. The Catalyst of Overpopulation in the Gaza Conflict

Mountains of work have analysed the roots of the conflict in Gaza, but all have missed the catalyst of increasing population. By Jon Austen and Jane O’Sullivan The Israel-Palestine conflict has been ongoing for 75 years. The recent eruption of violence is a tragedy but not surprising. Neither side is going to back down, both … Continue reading The Catalyst of Overpopulation in the Gaza Conflict

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10 October 2023. How to Fix the Planet, the Easy Way

To avoid disastrous deterioration of Earth’s climate and biosphere, humanity has to reduce its demands on nature. Fewer births and a falling population is no quick fix, but compared with voluntary austerity, it has many more up-sides than down-sides. by Jon Austen Scientists are reporting that there is an existential threat to life on Earth. … Continue reading How to Fix the Planet, the Easy Way

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3 October 2023. How environmental professionals acknowledge overpopulation – and then ignore it

We can have an environmentalism that ignores the fundamental causes of environmental problems, including lucrative careers treating overshoot’s many symptoms. Just not a successful environmentalism. by Leon Kolankiewicz Veteran population campaigners like me have long lamented the fact that at both the national and international scales, the environmental establishment (Big Green) and climate activists alike … Continue reading How environmental professionals acknowledge overpopulation – and then ignore it

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26 September 2023. Strange bedfellows of sustainability: How identity politics obstructs the future of wilderness  

Preserving wild places is key to protecting Earth’s biodiversity. In the United States and elsewhere, identity politics undermines the commitment to do so. by Karen Shragg Preserving wilderness is in the best interests of all of us, especially the four-legged and two-legged creatures with whom we share our countries. When people give other species room, … Continue reading Strange bedfellows of sustainability: How identity politics obstructs the future of wilderness  

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13 September 2023. Delusional population projections lead us sleepwalking into catastrophe

Recent United Nations population projections paint a comforting picture of immanent population stabilization. But what if they are wrong? Global population growth does not appear to be slowing as quickly as UN demographers have predicted, making widespread famines and run-away climate change more likely in the coming decades. By Jane O’Sullivan The Elon Musks of … Continue reading Delusional population projections lead us sleepwalking into catastrophe

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6 September 2023. Procreation and Consumption in the Real World

The cause of global environmental decline is clear: an immense and rapidly growing human economy. In response, environmentalists should advocate policies leading to fewer people and lower per capita consumption, not one instead of the other. Addressing both provides our best hope of creating sustainable societies and preserving Earth’s remaining biodiversity. by Philip Cafaro There … Continue reading Procreation and Consumption in the Real World

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29 August 2023. What you should know – but didn’t know to ask – about overshoot and the ‘population question’

William Rees explores the nature of humanity’s relationship with energy and the ecosphere, and reaches the unsettling conclusion that a population ‘correction’ is in the offing. By William Rees What would you think if someone called you out as a ‘dissipative structure’? Or better, claimed that you were a ‘thermodynamically far-from-equilibrium dissipative structure’? Chances are, … Continue reading What you should know – but didn’t know to ask – about overshoot and the ‘population question’

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15 August 2023. Human population reduction is not a quick fix for environmental problems

Then again, neither is anything else. The long lag time between fertility reduction and population stabilization is a key reason we need to address excessive human numbers sooner rather than later. by Phil Cafaro There's an argument one often hears that goes like this: "sure, population is important. But we need to reduce our environmental … Continue reading Human population reduction is not a quick fix for environmental problems

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8 August 2023. Walk the talk: the world needs more Gretas and fewer Leonardos

People in rich countries must rein in their consumption, but the hypocrisy of high-profile environment advocates makes them poor role models, argues Gaia Baracetti. By Gaia Baracetti This is an overpopulation blog, but its authors have made it clear that overconsumption is a problem too, and that the two are, as it is often said, … Continue reading Walk the talk: the world needs more Gretas and fewer Leonardos

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1 August 2023. Earth Overshoot Day reminds us how far we are from sustainability

On 2 August, humanity will have used up its quota of renewable resources for 2023, according to Ecological Footprint analyses. But this barely scratches the surface of understanding the overshoot predicament we now face. By Jane O’Sullivan Earth Overshoot Day falls on 2 August this year. This is the day on which, according to the … Continue reading Earth Overshoot Day reminds us how far we are from sustainability

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25 July 2023. Even with strong early family planning programs, 50 years or more are needed to halt population growth

Low birth rates are often regarded as problematic by major media, which overlook the perils of population increase. Here we show that unsustainable long-term population growth prevails in developing countries, despite historical family planning and gradually sinking birth rates. One lesson is that further reduced rates are urgently needed in high-fertility countries, in Africa and … Continue reading Even with strong early family planning programs, 50 years or more are needed to halt population growth

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