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Sir David Attenborough , the famed British naturalist and television conferrer , has some rough quarrel for humanity .
" We are a infestation on the Earth , " Attenborough told the Radio Times , asreported by the Telegraph . " It ’s coming home to roost over the next 50 year or so . "
This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth’s surface taken on 30 April 2025.
Attenborough start on to say that both clime change and " vaporous space " were looming problem for humans .
" Either we restrain our population growth or the raw world will do it for us , and the natural existence is doing it for us right now , " he said .
Sir David is not the only naturalist who has warn of universe growth outstripping resource . Paul Ehrlich , the president of the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford University and author of " The Population Bomb " ( Sierra Club - Ballantine , 1968 ) has long used language standardised to Attenborough ’s . And in 2011 , an depth psychology of mintage loss suggested that man are beginningto cause a mass extinctionon the order of the one that killed the dinosaurs .
Even so , that does n’t mean forceful measures must be take . " Government propaganda , taxes , giving every sexually participating human being access tomodern contraceptionand backupabortion , and , especially , giving woman absolutely adequate rights and chance with men might very well get the orbicular universe shrinking required if a flop is to be avoided , " Ehrlich say .
In fact , cater free , reliable parturition ascendence to womencould prevent between 41 percent and 71 percentage of miscarriage in the United States , grant to a study detailed in the Oct. 4 , 2012 , issue of the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology .
Other scientist also agreed to some extent with the heart of Attenborough ’s message .
" It ’s clear that increase universe outgrowth makes some of our biggest environmental challenges hard to lick , not easier , " said from Jerry Karnas , population drive theater director for the Center for Biological Diversity in Tucson , Ariz.
Karnas added , however , " What ’s needed is not universe control but a material stress on reproductive right , women ’s empowerment , ecumenical entree to birth controller and breeding , so more freedom for folks to make better , more informed family provision choice . "
And population numbers would count less for the satellite ’s health if clean renewable energy were wide take over as well as planning laws , he say LiveScience during an audience .
Attenborough is famous for his " Life on Earth " serial publication of wildlife documentaries , among other nature programming . In 2009 , he became a supporter of the Optimum Population Trust , a group that advocates voluntary universe restriction . At the time , he released a affirmation saying , " I ’ve seen wildlife under wax human pressure level all over the cosmos and it ’s not just from human saving or technology — behind every menace is the frightening burst in human numbers . "
Earth ’s population reached 7 billion people on or around Oct. 31 , 2011 , concord to United Nations estimates .
LiveScience Staff Writer Tia Ghose add reporting to this article .
