Let’s talk population (Image: Brian Harris/Rex Features)

John Sulston is leading a study into the future and sustainability of global human population

The Royal Society has launched a study into population and sustainability, which you are heading. Why now?

The topic of population is moving up the agenda again. It was very much discussed 40 years ago. Then, with the green revolution, people felt things would be fine because the world population was increasing and everyone wasn’t starving to death as predicted. But now we are facing a whole series of resource limitations. We are also facing the results …