A twist on the old saying. The only way to save the village is to burn depopulate it.

Families should have no more than two children if they want to help combat climate change, according to new research by a thinktank.

According to the report, published by the Optimum Population Trust, Britain’s high birth rate is a major factor in the current level of climate change, which can only be combatted if families voluntarily limit the number of children they have.

The report calls for a ‘two-child’ policy in the UK that would reduce the nation’s population from 60 million, as it currently stands, to no more than 55 milllion by 2050.

According to the Telegraph, that “high birth rate” is 1.87 — well below replacement rate, albeit on the upswing thanks to “migrants.” But no matter. Even if they’re dropping, they’re not dropping precipitously enough: every Briton burns a woodland hectare’s worth of carbon in his or her lifetime, according to the study, so the more rugrats there are, the more hectares burn.

As always when it comes to this subject, a western nation is asked to do its part even though it’s not the main cause of the problem and there’s no reason to believe other nations are similarly restraining themselves. Exit question: Aren’t there any other countries the Optimum Population Trust should be off bothering first?