What role is overpopulation playing in the climate crisis?

If there were fewer of us, would the amount of greenhouse gasses
we emit reduce? It’s a question that often creeps up in
discussions about climate change. Studies show that the global
population will decline eventually and populations in many rich
nations are already declining. However, 11,000 scientists signed
a paper warning of “untold suffering due to the climate crisis”
unless society transforms, including the reversal of population
growth. But an analysis by the United Nations found that
affluence has a greater impact on the climate than population.
When we talk about overpopulation, what are we really saying and
where does the conversation go from here? Presenters Neal Razzell
and Kate Lamble are joined by: Nyovani Madise, head of the Malawi
office of the African Institute for Development Policy. Anu
Ramaswami, professor of civil and environmental engineering at
Princeton. Arvind Ravikumar, professor in energy transition and
climate policy at the University of Texas. Producer: Darin Graham
Reporter: Rajesh Joshi Series producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma
Rippon Sound engineer: Tom Brignell