Only room for two Billion

wolram

http://dieoff.org/page174.htm

A world population of 2 billion, in addition to having adequate food, renewable energy, and forest products, should also have adequate freshwater resources (Postel, 1997). For agricultural and industrial production as well as public needs, we suggest approximately 1.2 million liters per person each year. Water resources, as with soil, would have to be conserved and pollution controlled. Humans would need to cease the overdraft of ground-water resources, instead, using ground-water in a more sustainable manner. Again, technologies are currently available for the effective management and protection of water resources (Postel,

So who is going to leave?

wolram

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4391835.stm

The report says only four ecosystem services have been enhanced in the last 50 years: increases in crop, livestock and aquaculture production, and increased carbon sequestration for global climate regulation (which has come from new forests planted in the Northern Hemisphere).

Two services - fisheries and fresh water - are said now to be well beyond levels that can sustain current, much less future, demands.

Mallignamius

*raises hand* I guess it's "no kids" for me. I can leave behind a better legacy, I think.

Greg Bernhardt

Which is why I've bought stock in water technology companies!

Doc Al

I have a few suggestions....

Moridin

Eugenics probably will not turn out that good. Russian Roulette? It is either that or making developed countries out of the developing world to reduce birth rate.

ThienAn

Where did you even get the world's population is 2 billions. China's population is 2 billions

Evo

No, he's saying that ideally a world population of 2 billion would be highly sustainable.

falc39

I recommend anyone interested in this subject to read The Ultimate Resource 2. Awesome book.