According to the United Nations' "medium-scenario" projection, the human population is on track to reach almost 9.2 billion by 2050, up from 6.6 billion today. This assumes a continuing decline in fertility rates. But if fertility rates stop falling—as is occurring in some countries today—the world population could reach 11.9 billion over that same period!

These numbers are startling, but there is something we can do—with your help. ...The population message must be heard if we are to achieve a sustainable world...

Population growth could slow dramatically in our lifetimes as birthrates continue to decline. But for that to happen, it is essential that women and men around the world have increased access to sound information, a range of contraceptive options, and related health services. Access to voluntary family planning allows women and couples to time their births and choose the size of their families. But some leaders still don't understand or acknowledge the population problem. Worse yet, others politicize it so that progress toward providing the tools women need is halted—or reversed.

Stabilizing the world's population is a difficult but essential challenge. The larger the population, the greater the environmental, economic, and social stresses we all share. Early action preserves options for the future. Please support our vital work by making a gift today.

With your help, we will be able to provide policymakers, business leaders, and other influential audiences with information about critical issues like:

How empowering women can slow population growth.
Lessons learned from China's one-child policy, 25 years later.
How low-birth-rate countries that encourage bigger families are falling into a trap.
Linkages between population growth and climate change.

By addressing issues like these, Worldwatch plans to explore the very core of the population issue and the central role it plays in our quest for a sustainable future—and to disseminate our findings to decision makers and opinion shapers around the world.