A study published in the journal Environment and Urbanisation has claimed that population increase in third world countries has a much lower impact on climate change than over-consumption by developed nations. It advises that western countries should aim to reduce consumption in their own countries, rather than focusing on reducing population growth in developing countries.

The study, carried out by a London based thinktank, looked at worldwide changes in population and greenhouse gas emissions between 1980 and 2005. The author of the study Dr Satterthwaite said: 'A child born into a very poor African household who during their life never escapes from poverty contributes very little to climate change, especially if they die young, as many do. A child born into a wealthy household in North America or Europe and who enjoys a full life and a high-consumption lifestyle contributes far more - thousands or even tens of thousands of times more.'

These findings fall in line with another study published recently, carried out by the New Economics Foundation. They concluded that a typical British person would take roughly four days to generate the same amount of carbon emissions that a person in Tanzania would take a year to create. This perspective raises interesting questions for debate between those who support the call for worldwide population restraint by the Optimum Population Trust, such as Sir David Attenborough, and those who oppose this view.

(timesonline.co.uk 2009; 29 September, Nucleus 2009; July:8-16 www.cmf.org.uk)