8 Billion Reasons to Commemorate This Year's World Population Day

• This article about reaching a global population of 8 billion in November 2022 connects population growth to many climate change topics, including biodiversity loss, unsustainable resource use, increased greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices.
• The article outlines how we got to this point, the many global challenges we face due to rapid population growth, the disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, and important solutions.

Positives

• This is a clear and concise overview of the issue of rapid population growth.
• The article highlights the unmet need for equal access to education and access to health care for women, especially in developing countries.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• There are numerous links to additional resources throughout the article.

Differentiation

• Students can choose one topic from the article to investigate further using the linked resources and share their findings with the class.
• This article can be used as a springboard to explore the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
• Students can discuss the benefits and drawbacks of possible solutions to rapid population growth including those mentioned in the article and additional solutions identified by students.
• Science classes can connect this resource to lessons about population dynamics, r- or K-selected species, advancements in microbiology, ecology, habitat loss, mass extinction events, or ecological sustainability.
• Ethics and social studies classes can connect this article to lessons about human rights, equal rights, women's rights, the rights of other species, and the rights of nature.
  
• The article highlights investing in girls' education and family planning programs as a means to curb population growth. To learn more about these solutions, students can read this article by Project Drawdown.
  

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