"Human population growth has more than doubled in the last 50 years," an attendee told Sanders, adding that the planet cannot sustain such growth.
"I realize this is a poisonous topic for politicians but it’s crucial to face. Empowering women and educating everyone on the need to curb population growth seems a reasonable campaign to enact," the attendee continued.
"Would you be courageous enough to discuss this issue and make it a key feature of a plan to address climate catastrophe?" she asked.
"The answer is yes," Sanders said, arguing that population control ‐ in the form of abortion and birth control, specifically ‐ is something he "very, very strongly" supports.
"The answer has everything to do with the fact that women in the United States of America, by the way, have a right to control their own bodies and make reproductive decisions," Sanders said.