Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the link between climate change and population growth; and what plans they have, if any, to weaken this link to reduce the impact caused by population growth.

Evidence shows that while population growth has an impact on the environment and global emissions, the bigger factor is consumption levels per capita. For example, it takes the average UK citizen five days to emit the same amount of carbon as the average Rwandan does in a full year. Voluntary family planning programmes are one of the most powerful enablers of sustainable development and prosperity. Effective and voluntary family planning programmes can positively change population trends and the overall development trajectory of communities and whole countries, by empowering women and bringing down fertility rates.  Good investments in health and education can also enable communities to adapt and respond to climate change.

Key UK aid investments include support for voluntary family planning and for provision of 12 years of quality education for girls in low income countries. This year, we are supporting the launch of FP2030, the new global partnership to accelerate progress on voluntary family planning. This November, the UK is hosting the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26 and is committed to delivering an ambitious and inclusive COP26.