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"World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, 2002" quoted as "Rio +10" has outlined many options for action. But in the first instance, six areas of concern are of prime importance. Together with climate change, freshwater, deforestation, poverty and biodiversity, world population growth is cited as a determinant element. Awareness of the role of humans as powerful agents of environmental change is not new. Historically, human action has often been blamed for adverse environmental effects. The first study of population–environment linkages is associated in most people's minds with the work of Thomas Malthus in 1798 which showed concern that population increases in England would quickly outstrip the available food supplies, leading to famine and misery. His argument was based on the idea that while population can grow geometrically, food production cannot because it is limited by the land available. He doubted whether science and technology could enhance life since any gains made through technology would be quickly offset by population increases with eventual disastrous consequences.