It was announced today that broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has become a patron of a group seeking to cut the growth in human population.

On joining the Optimum Population Trust, Sir David said growth in human numbers was "frightening".

Sir David has been increasingly vocal about the need to reduce the number of people on Earth to protect wildlife.

The Trust, which accuses governments and green groups of observing a taboo on the topic, say they are delighted to have Sir David as a patron.

However there is an alternative view as espoused by Fred Peace’s article for Yale e360 in which he states that it’s over-consumption, not population growth, that is the fundamental problem where a small portion of the world’s people – those in the affluent, developed world – use up most of the Earth’s resources and produce most of its greenhouse gas emissions.

It’s a compelling argument and worth the read it also begs the question is Sir Attenborough’s (for whom I have the utmost respect) misguided on this position? What do you think, over population in the world or over consumption by the privileged few?

Image courtesy of Saad Akhtar