Roy W. Brown

In the following viewpoint, Roy W. Brown asserts that population growth in developing countries could lead to increased levels of poverty and starvation and thwart further development. He argues that these problems will worsen if developing nations begin to adopt the high-consumption lifestyle of industrialized nations. According to Brown, industrialized nations need to support family planning programs in the Third World and adopt less environmentally destructive habits in order to ensure that overpopulation will not be catastrophic. Brown is the founder of the World Population Foundation, a Netherlands-based organization that helps organizations in developing countries design and manage reproductive health programs.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Brown, what percentage of future population growth is expected to occur in the poorest countries?
2. How many people could the planet support if a...