Since rising standards of living are said to lower fertility levels, can’t the problem of overpopulation be addressed by sharing the wealth to eliminate poverty?

Answer:

Faced with a huge and growing human population and diminishing resources, it is reasonable to consider whether there could be a more equitable sharing of the earth’s resources.

Such redistribution would need broad public will among donor nations and a system to effect the sharing of these.  It is unlikely these conditions can ever be met.  Typically, wealth is based on natural resources, without which we could not eat, drink or breathe.  As resources are exhausted, humans will tend to seize and hold onto what is seen as critical but diminishing assets.  Nations are likely to go to extremes to preserve their advantages.  Trends in foreign aid reflect this fact with aid spending levels declining even as need in the poorest countries increase.

Also, whether greater prosperity leads to lower fertility levels is uncertain.   History shows that population has increased in times of abundance and diminished in hard times.