The often-avoided hot potato of how the rapidly increasing human population is set to undermine efforts to protect the environment from further degradation will be considered by a distinguished panel of speakers in London next week.

The global population is expected to soar to 9 billion by 2050, a 40% increase on today’s figures. While we busy ourselves trying to address our carbon emissions and reduce our environmental footprint, the environmental consequences of this growth of people on a planet that we are already consuming at more than double a sustainable rate is often overlooked.

Indeed, according to the Population and Sustainability Network which is hosting the debate at the Royal Geographical Society on Wednesday, December 6, it outstrips climate change the biggest environmental problem facing the planet.

For more information on the event, see the network’s website.

Sam Bond

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