Poirot,
Yes, China is mirroring Britains industrial revolution but a massively multiplied extent. Also, don't forget India is hard on China's heels, another massiveley multiplied scenario. Then we have a massive chemical component now which wasn't there 200 years ago. Whilst I agree with your assessment I think we have sufficient evidence that the british revolution combined with the industrial revolution of the world that followed & has brought us to where we're now is already dipping the scales & the scales ain't certainly dipping in our favour.
In order to stop the polluters we must get the consumers off the road not introduce some idiotic tax. The average westerner creates about as much pollution in his whole life as an Arab Prince does in about an hour. I use about 2000 litres of Diesel a year. A tourist going overseas uses 355 litres of aviation fuel per 7 hour flight. Give or take 20-30 litres for freight & different aircraft type. Now how many flights a day are there out/to Australia alone ? Add to this air conditioning, goods of comfort, frivolity goods etc etc.
what I'm getting at is that as long as Joe Average demands all the things it is he who is to blame for pollution not the manufacturer. No manufacturer would produce anything that doesn't sell.
Check on how much defence exercises use up in fuel & food etc. Sport is another massive contributor to pollution but the organisers want more people though the gates.
You see, it's an evil wheel that keeps our pursuit for happiness (money) going. No-one really wants to fix the brakes whilst they're sitting on the bandwagon. If you reduce the population you also reduce happiness for many.

The thing is Poirot, it seems to me that you would like us all to focus on the big picture, which in the real world, is not what people do.

Everyone is focussing on their own small patch of the real world.

Poirot wants the best for herself and her brood. The Chinese want much
the same, so do most Australians.

The real world is simply a multiplication of all of this, ie. lots of
little people with lots of dreams. Add it all up and the effects are profound.

I agree, Yabby.

I was merely offering an amateur commentary on the status quo. I don't expect people to voluntarily limit themselves. That would take wisdom over and above ordinary instincts and desires - and probably asking a bit much.

Yabby and each of the posts proves/highlights to me at least a truth, humanity can not focus on fixing issues.
I am reluctant to side step the issue, but current state of Australian politics is extreme, it will not be repeated soon.
WHY? impending death or near death of the greens, a growing reluctance to send independents to Parliament, bought about by those differences between two sides.
Hence, *never trust politicians* my strong belief, an offer of one world one government/plan, will become a rat trap.
We will one day walk in to then watch changes that let our freedoms go.
Over population is nothing to do with our individual problems.
I note under developed country's are the worst, do we stop food aid without birth control?
Or look at belief that breeding kids is an act of belief , even if most die of starvation and illness.
A start would be a UN that has power to move freely in any country.
Funded by the west and developed country's to help in health and food education and housing.
Costs? a benefit is far more important than costs, giving life in home lands hope and freedom can benefit every one.
Extreme action, nothing less will change this, Bazz I agree the link is complex the problem is too.
My AGM last Friday, our hobby is in need of numbers.

I have always maintained that aid should be given to those who are prepared to help themselves & to those who simply can't help themselves but are willing to participate in birth control. Rather than sending money we should supply tools & materials as these are far more practical & more difficult to syphon away by officials.
Aid to poor countries in the form of tools etc would stimulate our economy also through manufacturing rather than just money getting stuck on the fingers of bureaucrats & being spent on travel for full of self importance celebrities.
No aid should be in money full stop. If any country doesn't appreciate goods then I'm afraid they'll just have to do better themselves.

By the way, Australia has been giving 1.2 million Dollars a day to New Guinea since that country's independence in 1975. What have they got to show for it ? Why not have an experiment for a week without that aid & give the money to australian battlers. See where it does more good.