Correct option is A
Option (a) contains an error.
The phrase "poses to a significant challenge" is incorrect because the verb "pose" does not take a preposition "to" when followed by a noun object. It should be simply "poses a significant challenge".
Correct sentence: The number of people on the planet still poses a significant challenge for the countries struggling to provide a basic standard of living for everyone.
Grammatical rule used:
Certain transitive verbs like “pose” do not require a preposition before their object.
Example: The issue poses a threat. (NOT “poses to a threat”)
Information Booster:
Verbs like “discuss,” “resemble,” “request,” “approach,” and “pose” do not take prepositions before the object.