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In 1972, The Limits to Growth modeled the effects of unlimited human expansion on the planet’s finite resources. Now, 30 years later, the predicted models are still a near match with reality.
The Limits to Growth was written by MIT researchers Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows, Jørgen Randers, and William W. Behrens III on commission by global think tank, The Club of Rome. It examined five variables of interaction between people and the planet—world population, levels of relative industrialisation, amount of pollution, worldwide food production and the rate of resource depletion. It posited that, with unchecked expansion, the world’s supply of resources would falter and begin to fail by 2030. And, as you can see from the graph, humanity is apparently well on its way towards meeting that goal.
This would result in a massive worldwide economic catastrophe and result in an sharp and ongoing reduction in the human population for generations. However, the alternative to this model—austerity measures as we’ve seen in Greece but on a global scale—could potentially spell financial ruin for billions. So do you want to be poor and hungry or poor and hungry during an economic apocalypse? [Smithsonian]
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So the decline of humanity is slated for 2030….Oh well, it was good whilst it lasted. The dinosaurs still beat us by several hundred million years as masters of Earth but we gave it a shot!
That is totally wrong because I’d identified 2030 as the year I complete my take over as ‘Archduke of all Known and Unknown Territories’ – it is clearly laid out in my 30 year plan which was initiated back in 2000 and finishes with Greenland and New Zealand realising the benefits of joining my glorious ‘United Known and Unknown Territories’.
if you’re only taking archduke, i will dibs extreme mega emperor.
There won’t be a mega emporer, I’m taking the title of Archduke because the people are really in charge.
you can’t tell the mega emporer there is no mega emporer. he hath spoken!
Well, I guess that puts you top of the list for ‘correction’ training – not my fault, the people demand it!
will the ‘United Known and Unknown Territories’ be abbreviated to ‘UKUnT’ and your position to ‘AKUnT’?
Bah, us New Zealanders will never fall to your tyrannical plan!
Tyrannical, I’ll be entirely benevolent to those who agree with me.
And of course you will for three reason – 1)if you don’t I’ll ban rugby and cricket, 2)Under my regime New Zealand will rule the ‘lower regions’ including Australia, Southern Africa and Southern Americas, and 3)If you don’t I’ll release tigers and Greeks on you – you’ll either all be killed by the tigers and your economy will be killed by the Greeks.
Throw in Antarctica and we’ll talk..
Maybe as a protectorate, but only if keep the penguins production up.
The penguins must flow!
It would be more interesting to see the 2000-2010 results. Because until you start seeing a definitive “peak” those then there is no observable element of decline. Its like people who use technical analysis to predict stock market trends.
The way I see it.. resources are declining at a lower rate than predicted and the pollution curve is not as steep. Also if the world continues to develop at an accelerated pace.. you would assume that 3rd world countries would start to mirror their developed counterparts (lower birth rates, more efficient food and energy usage, etc).
If natural disasters begin to kill us off or force politicians to adopt sustainable energy solutions (solar solar solar, did I say solar?), we will self heal, even if at the loss of millions of lives while we wait. (floods, tornados etc.) If we do not self heal, we’ll still die off, but lose hope, because without large economic industrial ventures that equal the Manhattan Project or 1960s Moon landings, seeing that the end is near with no hope, people will party much harder and use up our resources even faster. The eat the whole large bar of chocolate syndrome.
Incidentally, we are already starting to see the effects of hard times. Fuel here in the UK is now extremely expensive, (£1.46 a litre average – that’s almost £8 a gallon, or $12 a gallon in the US), and this is effecting food prices. We can all as overfed Western humans survive on half of what we chow today, so won’t exactly starve, however, if we cannot afford to heat our homes, then we will have problems because no one can focus on exam/business work if too cold or uncomfortable, and like ALL 3rd world or cold nations (Siberia etc), without economic innovation and job creation, society will remain depressed and stuck in a form of middle ages. If you think I’m crazy, just visit any nation that has a repressive government or suffers from almost continuous weather extremes and you’ll see.
Interesting times ahead! #ww3point75
I’m already poor and hungry. What’s your point?
1972-2012 = 40 years?
I guess this means we better hope for a global pandemic some time soon…
Can we get through 2012 first?