Why contraception matters in climate change planning

There’s a clear link between family planning, contraception and climate change vulnerability. MSI has joined our partners in the global sexual and reproductive health and rights community to call for signatories to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to integrate family planning services with climate change action commitments.

Why is a sexual and reproductive health organisation interested in climate change? 

MSI’s mission is children by choice, not chance. We believe women should have the option to plan their family size, access live saving services and make their own decisions about their bodies and the future.

Meeting the contraception and reproductive health needs of women and girls helps communities become more resilient and more capable of adapting to the inevitable changes brought by climate change. It  also slows population growth, a recognised climate change challenge in many countries. Voluntary and rights-based family planning has been listed as #7 on Project Drawdown’s list of 100 diverse and cost effective strategies to address climate change with a measurable impact.

Meeting this unmet need for family planning could significantly reduce climate change vulnerability.

Twelve major international organisations working to protect the reproductive rights and sexual health of women around the world have called on the signatories to the Paris Agreement to consider reproductive and sexual health services in their climate change and sustainable development plans.