Editing David Attenborough (section)

=== Human population ===
Attenborough has linked anthropogenic effects on the environment with [[human population growth]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 January 2020|title=David Attenborough warns 'human beings have overrun the world' in new film|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/a-life-on-our-planet-trailer-david-attenborough-new-film-teaser-release-date-385845|access-date=7 September 2021|website=inews.co.uk|language=en|archive-date=7 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907202909/https://inews.co.uk/news/a-life-on-our-planet-trailer-david-attenborough-new-film-teaser-release-date-385845|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=Sophie|date=14 January 2020|title=Chris Packham thinks we might need a one-child policy to save the world|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/chris-packham-7-7-billion-people-counting-bbc2-world-population-growth-385351|access-date=5 November 2021|website=inews.co.uk|language=en|archive-date=5 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105201612/https://inews.co.uk/news/long-reads/chris-packham-7-7-billion-people-counting-bbc2-world-population-growth-385351|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Schofield|first=Claire|date=21 January 2020|title=Chris Packham: 7.7 Billion People and Counting: when the documentary is on TV|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/chris-packham-7-7-billion-people-and-counting-documentary-when-bbc-two-date-time-387015|access-date=5 November 2021|website=inews.co.uk|language=en|archive-date=5 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105201611/https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/chris-packham-7-7-billion-people-and-counting-documentary-when-bbc-two-date-time-387015|url-status=live}}</ref> He has attracted criticism for his views on [[human overpopulation]]<ref name=":1" >{{Cite web |last=Manavis |first=Sarah |date=3 November 2020 |title=David Attenborough's claim that humans have overrun the planet is his most popular comment |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/environment/2020/11/david-attenborough-s-claim-humans-have-overrun-planet-his-most-popular |url-status=live |access-date=28 August 2021 |website=New Statesman |quote=A new study shows that Attenborough's unverified claims regarding overpopulation dominate social media discourse |archive-date=3 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803154828/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/environment/2020/11/david-attenborough-s-claim-humans-have-overrun-planet-his-most-popular}}</ref> and [[Human population planning|human population control]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Tran |first=Mark |date=18 September 2013 |title=David Attenborough: Trying to tackle famine with bags of flour is 'barmy' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2013/sep/18/david-attenborough-famine-population |url-status=live |website=The Guardian |access-date=23 August 2021 |archive-date=23 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823214515/https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2013/sep/18/david-attenborough-famine-population}}</ref> He is a patron of [[Population Matters]],<ref name="popm">{{cite news |last1=Vidal |first1=John |date=14 April 2009 |title=Attenborough becomes patron for Optimum Population Trust |newspaper=The Guardian |publisher=The Guardian, UK broadsheet newspaper |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2009/apr/14/attenborough-patron-optimum-population-trust |url-status=live |access-date=11 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709001127/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2009/apr/14/attenborough-patron-optimum-population-trust |archive-date=9 July 2017}}</ref> a UK charity advocating for [[family planning]], sustainable consumption and proposed [[Sustainable population|sustainable human population]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Sir David Attenborough warns against large families and predicts things will only get worse |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/sep/10/david-attenborough-human-evolution-stopped |work=The Guardian |date=10 September 2021 |access-date=11 December 2016 |archive-date=11 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211131905/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/sep/10/david-attenborough-human-evolution-stopped |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="popmat">{{cite web |title=Attenborough is new OPT patron |url=http://www.populationmatters.org/2009/press/attenborough-opt-patron/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102144305/http://www.populationmatters.org/2009/press/attenborough-opt-patron/ |archive-date=2 January 2016 |website=populationmatters.org |publisher=Population Matters, UK Charity}}</ref> In a 2013 interview with the ''[[Radio Times]]'', Attenborough described humans as a "plague on the Earth",<ref>{{cite web |date=22 January 2013 |title=David Attenborough: "Humans are a plague on the Earth" |url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-01-22/david-attenborough-humans-are-a-plague-on-the-earth |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052741/http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-01-22/david-attenborough-humans-are-a-plague-on-the-earth |archive-date=8 August 2014 |access-date=28 June 2014 |website=Radio Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Louise |date=22 January 2013 |title=David Attenborough – Humans are plague on Earth |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/earthnews/9815862/Humans-are-plague-on-Earth-Attenborough.html |url-status=live |access-date=27 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120085247/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/earthnews/9815862/Humans-are-plague-on-Earth-Attenborough.html |archive-date=20 November 2016}}</ref> and described the act of [[Aid|sending food]] to [[famine]]-stricken countries as "barmy" for population reasons.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{cite news |title=David Attenborough says sending food to famine-ridden countries is 'barmy' |website=The Independent |publisher=The Independent, newsgroup |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/david-attenborough-says-sending-food-to-famineridden-countries-is-barmy-8823602.html |url-status=live |access-date=26 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925162536/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/david-attenborough-says-sending-food-to-famineridden-countries-is-barmy-8823602.html |archive-date=25 September 2015}}</ref> He called for more debate about human population growth,<ref name=":3" /> saying that since he "first started making programmes 60 years ago, the human population has tripled."<ref>{{cite news |title=Is population growth out of control? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24303537 |work=BBC News |date=29 September 2013 |access-date=30 October 2021 |archive-date=30 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030113011/https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24303537 |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to Attenborough, improving [[women's rights]] around the world is an effective way "to limit our birth rate".<ref name="Mongabay"/> He said that "anyone who thinks that you can have infinite growth in a finite environment is either a madman or an economist."<ref name="Mongabay">{{cite news |last1=Cardwell |first1=Mark Riley |title=David Attenborough: someone who believes in infinite growth is 'either a madman or an economist' |url=https://news.mongabay.com/2013/10/david-attenborough-someone-who-believes-in-infinite-growth-is-either-a-madman-or-an-economist/ |work=[[Mongabay]] |date=16 October 2013 |access-date=30 October 2021 |archive-date=30 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030072159/https://news.mongabay.com/2013/10/david-attenborough-someone-who-believes-in-infinite-growth-is-either-a-madman-or-an-economist/ |url-status=live }}</ref>