Global aspects of biodiversity loss are widespread. Tropical habitats in Africa, South America and South-East Asia have been decimated by deforestation and encroachment by increasing numbers of people. International organisations including the United Nations (UN) have considered population issues, but the list of sustainable goals propounded by the UN makes no more than peripheral mentions of population pressures. There have been international conferences on major environmental issues including climate change and biodiversity declines, but again with few mentions of the impact of the human population. However, there has been a series of international meetings concerned with population growth. Unfortunately, these have proved disappointing, frequently sidetracked into areas that have not resulted in any consensus on the development of population policies.