And of course the easiest answer is "yes." The problem we are in COMBINES the number of people and the amount of consumption per person. Increases in either are a problem. Decreases in either if controlled are positive, as a first approximation. And make no mistake. There WILL be decreases in both in the medium to long run...the question is will it be done in a thought out and controlled way, or will it be done through traditional Malthusian ways. I prefer intelligent to uncontrolled ways.

Population increase has been declining for decades now, which is good. Consumption decrease has been harder to achieve. Of course improvements in both are important. And population solutions don't just mean family planning. One of the best ways to reduce family size is through women's literacy or reductions in poverty. Traditionally people only focused on narrow aspects of the population issue. But a combined education, women's empowerment, family planning and sane development approach has the best way of succeeding all around. Pity it is so rarely done.