David Attenborough: 'We must control our population' Sir David Attenborough has warned that the world's rising population must be brought under control - if humans are to maintain a good quality of life. He claimed that countries with lower birth rates and better medical facilities should do more to educate women in lesser developed countries about birth control. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live's Breakfast, Sir David said: "There are areas of the world that are still unspoilt... but that may not be the case if in fact our numbers go on increasing at the present rate."