Overshoot and collapse

[Frnc]

Interesting article about overshoot and collapse
https://mahb.stanford.edu/wp-content/up ... rshoot.pdf

Brief summary:

The article describes how the Modern Techno-Industrial society based on fossil fuel and mining etc has led to exponential population increase and resource depletion. We are using the earth's resources so fast, everything will soon run out. We are also polluting the planet, and biodiversity is declining. Welcome to the Anthropocence. We are even acting as by far the biggest geological force on the planet.

The ecological footprint of the rich is huge compared to half the world's population, but population growth accounts for 80% of overshoot in recent decades.

The rich may have a better chance in a collapse, but if we are forced back to the stone age, the world's rural poor will have the advantage of being preadapted.

[GillyBee]

So the same as Thomas Malthus discussed over 200 years ago then?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malthusianism

[Frnc]

So the same as Thomas Malthus discussed over 200 years ago then?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malthusianism

Seems that way. There is a common argument: "the ecological footprint of the rich is huge, the footprint of the poor is tiny, population growth is only occuring among the poor so it doesn't matter". I dug out the two links to the references regarding population growth being responsible for 80% of the increase in ecological footprint.

https://overpopulation-project.com/dang ... emissions/
This one says that population is "growing rapidly" in middle income countries, which emit almost two thirds of global carbon emissions. This article references a paper by it's own authors. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/4/3245
Also it says "the two middle groups are also the groups that currently are increasing their emissions the most, both total and per capita."
I think that C emissions are a good proxy for ecological footprint in general, and therefore overshoot.

The other one is by the author of the article in the OP.
https://www.austriaca.at/0xc1aa5576%200x003dcfa1.pdf
which says "the largest potholes on the road to sustainability are the global
spread of consumer life-styles and resistance to family and national population planning"

[Frnc]

The paper by Rees starts with a mention of a tiny 5 sq km island who's inhabitants have practiced birth control for 3,000 years, maintaining a population of 1200. That is 300 per square km of arable land. They live a lifestyle in harmony with their ecosystem. Wiki says "Tikopians practice an intensive system of agriculture (which has been compared to permaculture), similar in principle to forest gardening and the gardens of the New Guinea Highlands. Their agricultural practices are strongly and consciously tied to the population density.[2] For example, around 1600, the people agreed to slaughter all pigs on the island, and substitute fishing, because the pigs were taking too much food that could be eaten by people."

The UK has 276 per sq km, but only about 50% of the land is arable.

[jansman]

The link in the first post is using the words ‘Climate Change’.

This post is about Climate Change. We told you originally you have a Climate Change thread . USE IT!

This thread is locked.