Relentless human population growth — most other species are in accelerating retreat — and ever-more-demanding material appetites are the primary drivers of climate change.

Countries will face economic and social unrest unless inequality towards the world’s poorest women is tackled urgently.

More than one in 10 teenage girls and women in Ireland have an unmet need for contraception.

Male political leaders have been urged to live up to their responsibility to sufficiently support women in crisis and conflict settings.

Sales of maternity trousers that allow Muslim women in Malaysia to cover up while giving birth have surged, despite triggering fierce criticism and fears of putting the lives of women at risk during childbirth.

THE world welcomed its symbolic “seven billionth” baby yesterday, but celebrations were tempered by worries over the strain that humanity’s population explosion is putting on a fragile planet.

THE world’s population of seven billion is set to rise to at least 10 billion by 2100, but could top 15 billion if birth rates are just slightly higher than expected, the United Nations has warned.

THE UN and aid agencies are warning that the famine in Somalia will grow in size and severity unless the world community responds with more aid.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced a $40 billion (€29.9bn) drive to improve the health of women and children, which he said would save millions of lives around the world.

President Barack Obama continued his march to reverse contentious Bush administration policies, ending the ban on giving government money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information.

AS thousands of groups in 140 countries gathered to mark World Population Day yesterday, the United Nations has called for more action to promote women’s rights and reduce the millions of deaths resulting from unwanted pregnancies.

Ireland is to contribute over €40m the United Nations for vital development work, it was confirmed today.

IN 1992, the then president of the EU Commission, Jacques Delors, said: “If in the next 10 years we haven’t managed to give a soul to Europe, to give it spirituality and meaning, the game will be up.”

IN 2001 Galway For Life sought to highlight allegations that the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), an organisation that the Government financially supports, had in the late 1990s been involved in a campaign of compulsory sterilisation of over 100,000 Peruvian women.

AIDS will leave 40 million children worldwide orphaned by 2010, with male sexual behaviour “largely responsible”, a United Nations report said yesterday.

WHILE many people, especially the unfortunate first-time house buyers, are coming to terms with the recent spate of government cutbacks, it should be noted that these are not being applied consistently.

WOODY ALLEN, in one of his early comedy records, tells the joke of what his parents allegedly did when he went missing once as a child: "They snapped into action, and rented out my room."

DIPLOMATS and officials are appalled at the Bush administration's decision to cut support for the UN Population Fund, and say the move was motivated by domestic politics at the expense of women's and children's health.

The Irish Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations is to pay a 10-day visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan.