First published in The New Security Beat
Every day it seems the headlines bring new worries about the future of Pakistan. But among the many challenges confronting the nation--including a growing Taliban insurgency--one significant problem remains largely undiscussed: its rapidly expanding population.
"Africa is under populated." Those were the shocking words of Dr. Strike Mkandla, the head of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in a provocative response to a presentation I gave on the links between population and climate change at Ethiopia's first celebration of Earth Day on April 22. Dr. Mkandla continued that Africa has lots of land that can contain many more people. I discussed the benefits of slower population growth for adaptation in African countries that will be the hardest hit by the impacts of climate change. The audience was surprised that the head of a United Nations agency would make such a statement, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, including from the UNEP itself and sister UN agencies. Dr. Mkandla left before I could respond or the audience could ask questions.
Originally published in The Huffington Post
Have you seen the ads? They seem to be everywhere -- from the Washington Metro system's billboards, to the New Yorker and Roll Call.
"9 billion people to feed. A changing climate. NOW WHAT?"
While focused on biotechnology, the ad (sponsored by Monsanto) does point to a key challenge in the years ahead: namely, the need to double agricultural output by 2050 to feed a rapidly growing world.
Amber Kirtley is a graduate of Furman University. She is serving as Communications Intern at Population Action International for the Spring 2009 semester.
Somewhere along the way "go green" stopped just being a phrase I would snap at my mother when she took too long to enter an intersection after a light or the adamant suggestion my sorority would chant to rush hopefuls during Greek recruitment. Now, "go green", to me, refers to the persistent voice chirping in all of our ears, encouraging us to alter our lifestyles and do our part to save the world.
Jasmine Wilkins is a graduate of the College of William and Mary . She is serving as New Project Development Intern at Population Action International for the Spring 2009 semester.
As a Peace Corps Volunteer you're assigned to work with a particular sector, be it community health, small business development, food security, etc. You receive countless hours of sector-specific training - culture, language and technical - and inevitably bond with other volunteers in the same sector. After all, for the first three months in country they're usually the only Americans (besides select Peace Corps staff) with whom you have contact.by Suzanna Dennis & Susan Anderson
Writing from the United Nations
"I am honored to be here today to express the renewed and deep commitment of the United States Government to the goals and aspirations of the ICPD Program of Action." With these words, Margaret Pollack, head of the US Delegation to the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD) ushered in a new era of US engagement on reproductive rights at the UN. The US CPD statement is another signal of the new course the Obama Administration is steering America's policy on reproductive health. Finally we are heading in the right direction again.
