Global Population and Environment Program

Population Chair: Ramona Rex

Since 1960, the earth's human population has more than doubled, from 3 billion to 6.5 billion. Each year about 76 million people are added to the planet. This growing population impacts every aspect of the environment, from water to wildlife, forests to fisheries, both locally and globally. These facts inspired me to become a population activist with the Sierra Club's Global Population and Environment Program.

The Sierra Club's Global Population and Environment Program seeks to protect the global environment and preserve natural resources for future generations by slowing population growth and reducing wasteful consumption.

The program seeks to accomplish this mission by:

• Promoting voluntary domestic and international family planning programs and reproductive health services
• Encouraging the public to support providing women and girls access to basic rights, including healthcare and education
• Encouraging people to reduce excessive consumption and live in ways that have less impact on the earth's resources

Population-Environment Connection

Rapid population growth puts enormous pressure on the environment while the rate we consume and degrade natural resources jeopardizes the health of the planet and threatens the availability of clean water and air for generations to come.

• With increasing numbers of people, the amount of fresh water available to each person decreases. Currently, 1 billion people consume unclean water while more than 90% of sewage and 70% of industrial wastes are dumped untreated into surface waters.
• We have decreased the planet's forest cover by almost one-half and increased carbon dioxide emissions by over 30% to the highest levels the planet has ever seen.

What's Happening Now?

The Sierra Club's Global Population and Environment Program advocates for increased access to voluntary family planning both at home and beyond our borders. Find out more about the programs and policies we support.

What's Happening Internationally?

What's Happening in the U.S.?

What's Happening in Oregon?

You Can Make a Difference!

• Talk to your friends, family and community about the link between population and the environment.
• Send a message to a decision-maker in your community or state. Tell them as an environmentalist, you support family planning programs.
• Sign up to participate in the Sierra Club's Global Population and Environment Program by logging on to www.sierraclub.org/population.

Here's how two women are making a difference.

Additional Information

• Contact Ramona Rex
• Visit the National Sierra Club population web site.