I very much agree with Rob Stephenson (Letters, November 20) that drastic measures are necessary to minimise climate change but just as he says, it really is not in the nature of most people to want to reduce their standard of living to any extent, especially as many of us only just manage to live a reasonable life.

Yet still it remains that the main spoiler on earth is man.

There are just too many of us. The latest estimate suggests that the human population will be 9.1 billion by 2050 compared to 6.5 billion today.

The Optimum Population Trust in Britain would like the Government to adopt a policy to reduce Britain's population from over 60 million today to roughly 55 million by 2050 instead of 69 million as forecast.

We can see what has happened in Darfur where the UN estimates that Sudan and surrounding areas have had a four-fold population increase in the past 50 years.

The area's fragile ecosystem has very limited water and fertile land, and it is competition for survival among the rapidly increasing number of people that undoubtedly drives the conflict.

Is this what will happen to us eventually?

  • Liz Walker, Marine Parade, Brighton