The Overpopulation Project
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Category: Social norms
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Because everyone else is (not) doing it: How social pressures may be the key to understand family size preferences
Israel stands out among developed countries by maintaining a high fertility rate. Understanding what is driving the continued preference for larger families could offer useful insights for policy makers in Israel and in other countries with high birth rates. by Rachel Gould, PhD I’ll start at the end – my PhD research found what appears…
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Is it selfish not to have children?
Childless people are often accused of selfishness. Our Italian colleague explores the nuances of motivation, sacrifice, duty and love embedded in our choices. by Gaia Baracetti It is one of the most common retorts – especially in more traditional cultures – to someone who says that they don’t want children: that they are selfish. People…
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How a survey in developing countries might reveal hidden fertility norms
Donald Trump’s administration recently ended US government funding to the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), despite its value for policy-makers and many scientists. But the DHS will probably continue in some form, and now is a good time to consider improvements. By Frank Götmark Started by the USAID (United States Agency for International Development)…
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When it comes to childbearing, coercion cuts both ways
The Overpopulation Project has been ranked as one of the 10 best demography blogs of 2025 by FeedSpot. Thank you to all our readers for engaging with and sharing our work. Upholding human rights is key to any just approach to population policy, as contrasting examples of coercion from China and Africa illustrate. But rights…
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Check out Vasectomy
Women rightly complain about low contraceptive use among men, and that too little research goes into improved contraception for men. But here is one simple and safe method that deserves more attention, in all countries. By Richard Grossman MD Sixteen years ago the Durango Herald published my column “Do your Partner’s Vasectomy”; it got lots…
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Something you don’t know about Qatar and something you know about China (but it’s wrong)
Despite obvious differences, Qatar and China have something in common: disinformation, myths and lack of information surround these two countries. Looking at data instead of anecdotes discloses surprising facts and enables a better understanding of these countries’ demographic policies. It also sheds light on how population policies can drive unbalanced sex-ratios. by Lucia Tamburino and…
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History was rewritten to delegitimize population concerns: we need to reassert the truth
In the old fable of the Emperor’s New Clothes, people denied the emperor’s nakedness because they wanted to be seen as smart. Today people deny overpopulation because they want to be seen as moral. It is a form of virtue signaling: are you for justice and equity and families and being nice to refugees, or…
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Do Childfree People Have Better Sex?
The evidence suggests they do, according to a new book just published this month. It argues that living without children means rebelling against social expectations and is therefore a feminist decision. Also, that women who decide not to have children are the courageous pioneers of a movement that needs support if our planet is to…
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Old Italy
Low birth rates and an aging society are recurring subjects of national debate in Italy. Pundits, politicians and religious leaders regularly issue warnings about “empty cradles” and demographic decline. Does Italy really have an aging problem? By Gaia Baracetti Italians have a special reverence for their Constitution. It was written after the most traumatic time in…
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Humane Families: Towards Existential Justice and Freedom
The act of having children is interpersonal rather than personal, however, it has long been treated as a personal and isolated decision. This dysfunctional parent-focused model is at the heart of our ecological crises and was created by governments to ensure population growth and evade collective responsibility to invest in kids and our ecological communities.…
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The decision to forego childbearing
Should you bring children into a crowded and ecologically declining world? More and more young people are asking themselves this question. One woman explores her personal choice in a global perspective. by Gaia Baracetti It’s definitely a thing now. Here in the West at least there seems to be an almost incessant flow of articles…
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Are we overpopulated already?
With the world’s population growing by more than 80 million annually, the environmental case for addressing population growth seems clear. But is Earth overpopulated already? And what might be a sustainable human population? Recent episodes of EarthX TV’s The Population Factor address these questions and explore solutions to humanity’s continued demographic expansion. by The Overpopulation…
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Women carry the burden of contraception – is this sexism or just physiology?
Most contraceptive methods are aimed at women, an issue which Jackie Brown examines in a recent article in The Oxford Student. Brown discusses the great difference between the options available for women and men, and the inequality which arises from this. In response, retired gynaecologist Richard Grossman delves further into the complexity of side effects…
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Black Lives Matter
So perhaps it’s time to take a more comprehensive look at how government policies impact black lives. In this piece, a long-time MP explores connections between Australia’s rapid population growth and its poor treatment of minority citizens. by Kelvin Thomson Black lives matter. It’s true, and in Australia it’s not as if we haven’t had…
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Addressing Population Challenge Is Not Impossible
Societies can avoid a world population of 10.8 billion and related disasters – with education, contraception and emphasis on sustainability. by Joe Bish Human civilization faces a severe long-range mismatch between sustainable food yields and global population size. Some experts suggest a population sized at approximately two people per arable hectare would be ecologically sustainable.…
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Thailand’s success story – Family planning with creativity and humor
Promoting contraceptives in fun ways achieved tremendous success towards breaking taboos and clarifying misconceptions. Together with creative community development programs, family planning programs increased the wellbeing of all Thais.
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Rwanda: A pioneer of family planning in Sub-Saharan Africa
Rwanda has experienced a 40% increase in contraception use within only the past 15 years. The country is located in Sub-Saharan Africa, a region typically known for its high population growth.1 Despite the large rural population, traditional large family norms and strong influence of the religious institutions, Rwanda is slowly becoming known for its efficient, ongoing…
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The first population policies implemented in Africa: the case of Tunisia
In the early 1960s, Tunisia became the first country on the African continent to significantly improve women’s status and launch a voluntary national family planning (FP) program. Today, Tunisia has some of the most progressive family planning policies in Africa, and it is the most progressive of all Arab countries in terms of gender equality…
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“Two Children Are Enough” – “Dua Anak Cukup”
Indonesia: Population Policy Case Study 1 By Jenna Dodson Population policies[1] of the late 20th century played a central role in the global decline in fertility rates1. These policies mobilized resources to enact policies aimed at reducing fertility by widening contraception provision and changing family-size norms. In the first of a series of Positive Population…
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Solutions to overpopulation and what you can do
By The Overpopulation Project Here at The Overpopulation Project, we try to keep a positive outlook. Although many environmental trends are grim, there exist clear paths forward toward a more sustainable world: one where people steward resources for the future and share habitat and resources generously with other species. Recently, a correspondent wrote challenging us…
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Changing social norms and behaviors for the sake of the planet and people
Changing social norms are important in changing fertility behavious such as using contraception that in fact effects our environment through population dynamics
Explore the content and topics covered by TOP, search here
Recent blog posts
- A useful tool to explore future population possibilities
- The role of mortality in fertility transition studies
- Population growth is still rapid. Has the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) forgotten family planning programs?
- The Most Appropriate Response to Falling Birthrates? Embrace Them
- New paper defends a pragmatic definition of overpopulation
Blog categories
What we are reading, listening to and watching
- Large mammal recovery in the wake of human population decline by Jensen et al.
- Population Connection at the Seventh Session of the Commission on the Status of Women by Melvine Ouyo
- American’s Rating of Environment Hits New Low by Megan Brenan
- Global human population has surpassed Earth’s sustainable carrying capacity by Bradshaw et al.
- Spatial Spillover and Differential Impacts of Urban Shrinkage on Air Pollutants: Implications for Sustainable Urban Futures by Ma et al.
- Overshoot and procreative ethics: at an ecological crossroads by Rees and Szocik
- The Educational Differentiation of African Birth Timing by Frye and Lopus
- EU says member states may use existing funds for abortion travel by Reuters
- Fading Melodies: Intact tropical forests are seeing mysterious bird declines. Is another “silent spring” brewing? by Warren Cornwall
- Resources Depletion, Ecosystem Destruction and Overpopulation by Liu and Li
Gallery of infographics – Learn more about overpopulation and environment
