WORLD: Population is on the increase and the world cannot contain it or sustain it

. LONDON, England / New Scientist / Special Feature / September 23, 2009 This week NewScientist has published an extensive feature on World Population Click here THE POPULATION DELUSION Illustration by Michael Duva/Getty 7 BILLION AND COUNTING… Overpopulation is often singled out as the planet's root problem. If only it were that simple. Leading thinkers on population can't agree on what the answers – or even the questions – are. In this special feature, New Scientist brings the best of expert opinion. The population delusion There are 7 billion of us and counting, but the raw numbers hide a multitude of complexities CURBING GROWTH Enough of us now With more than a billion already going hungry, limiting population growth has to be a priority, say Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich THE OPTIMIST Technology will save us Human ingenuity has always saved us from the burden of our swelling numbers – and Jesse Ausubel is convinced that it can save us even now GREED Overconsumption is the real problem The population timebomb is fast being defused – now we need to fix the habits of the greedy few, argues Fred Pearce DEVELOPED WORLD Europe's problems will grow as it shrinks High population growth is not sustainable – but neither is low fertility, says Reiner Klingholz [rc] © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.