Human Ponzi scheme of population growth can’t go on for ever | Letters

George Monbiot (There's a population crisis all right. But probably not the one you're thinking of, 20 November) is right to point out the devastating impacts of expanding livestock operations around the world. Yet, in dismissing the relationship between human population and climate, he contravenes the IPCC's November 2014 report for policymakers, which states "Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions have increased since the pre-industrial era, driven largely by economic and population growth, and are now higher than ever."

Monbiot presents an outdated "either-or" approach to sustainability, where wiser dietary choices must supersede slowing down and stopping rapid human population growth as an environmental priority. This is a needless and false choice. Meat production is intricately tied to global population - in fact, the industry's justification for increasing the number of livestock on the planet is to feed the growing number of people.