The Core

http://www.overpopulation.org/solutions.html

The most effective method to control the population is through education, more so women. If you look at the female literacy rate of the world, those with a higher literacy rate are more prone to have fewer children than those who have a lower literacy rate. Let me give you some stats:

    Australia, 96% literacy: 1.9 children per woman.
    USA, 99% literacy: 2.0 children per woman.
    UK, 99% literacy: 1.9 children per woman.
    Germany, 99% literacy: 1.9 children per woman.
    Afghanistan, 13% literacy: 6.5 children per woman.
    Niger, 51% literacy: 7 children per woman.
    Democratic Republic of Congo, 56% literacy: 5.9 children per family.

In India, more controversial, forced sterilization was a step taken to lower population growth.

“There were reports of police cordoning off villages and virtually dragging the men to surgery.”

During 2013–2014, more than 4 million sterilizations were carried out.

WHAT SAY YOU?

This seems to be the general consensus on growth patterns : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic_transition

This graphic shows that more recently, the demographic transition has accelerated. Hopefully we can reach a peak population with minimal environmental consequence.

Rich countries should pair up with poorer countries, maybe even include them in a trade-bloc.

Taking a look at the annual 15-64 population growth should be pretty telling.  2008 wasn't a debt crisis...it was an end of an atypical period of abnormally high growth which so many had assumed was in fact "normal".

The surprise TO ME is a predicted DECLINE in YUROPE