This is the correct question

[bekdik]

Gaia Vince asks whether there is a limit to how many people can be sustained on a finite planet

The sheer number of people has profoundly changed the global landscape, as we convert vast tracts of wild vegetation to agricultural or grazing areas, for example. Fishing on an industrial scale to provide for billions has dramatically altered marine diversity. Individual farmers breeding livestock or keeping chickens, when multiplied by millions, have caused biodiversity changes in which more than 90% of the weight of all terrestrial vertebrates is now made up of humans and the animals we've domesticated. The quest for resources to supply us all with materials and the trappings of life has depleted the forests, polluted rivers and soils and even carved the tops of mountains. And the fuels used by each of us for energy have produced combined emissions that are already altering the planet's climate.

This, to my mind, is the basic cause of our planet's problems.

 

[AstroTurf]

Don't worry, overpopulation inevitably ends in war and that wipes out the population issue.

 

[OGroteKoning]

Gaia Vince asks whether there is a limit to how many people can be sustained on a finite planet





This, to my mind, is the basic cause of our planet's problems.

That and stupidity!

 

[thestaggy]

Garson07 will tell you otherwise.

The finity of Earth's resources are a myth, as is our impact on the Earth itself.

 

[Geriatrix]

I read somewhere that Earth can sustain a maximum of 2 billion people, all living a middle-class lifestyle. Can't remember where, though.

 

[KiG]

Garson07 will tell you otherwise.

The finity of Earth's resources are a myth, as is our impact on the Earth itself.

Perfect.

 

[zippy]

Gaia Vince asks whether there is a limit to how many people can be sustained on a finite planet

This, to my mind, is the basic cause of our planet's problems.

is it our planets problem, or our(humans) problem ?

there has been instances in the past history of the planet where over 90% of life was wiped and that was actually a good thing for the smaller mammals, because it allowed them to thrive which resulted in the human race.

 

[buyeye]

I read somewhere that Earth can sustain a maximum of 2 billion people, all living a middle-class lifestyle. Can't remember where, though.

I also read somewhere that the number was 200 billion.

 

[Geriatrix]

I also read somewhere that the number was 200 billion.

Let's put it to the test, let's organize everyone a middle class lifestyle now and then slowly increase and see what happens!

 

[buyeye]

Let's put it to the test, let's organize everyone a middle class lifestyle now and then slowly increase and see what happens!

Ok I'm in.:erm:

 

[HavocXphere]

Well yeah obviously. The question is what to do about it.

Gaia Vince asks whether

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypothesis

 

[RiaX]

Its a well known thing this, the field is population dynamics. Humanity has hit what is known as a 'carrying capacity'. War wont wipe us out, disease will do it faster and way more efficiently

 

[wrathex]

I think we need to expand our view and crimp in our fears.

This planet is massive.
We live on a tiny part of it, the very outer skin.
We are hardly making use of this planet.

There is more than enough space and resources to more than triple our population and more.

The problem is:
We are stuck with the old world which we have to redesign for sustainability.
We have to live both on the skin, under it and in the air.
We have to learn how to vertical/inhouse/underground farm, both into the air and into the ground.
We have to replace old energy technology with new ones.

We are hardly making use of this planet.

Historically we have not planned the expansion of humanity, we just expanded and without much thought to long term consequences. Those were the wild days and they are over.

This planet has much to offer, so does its lifeforms, but from here onwards we would be very wise to plan carefully ahead and use our awesome sciences and technologies to expand with more forethought and clearly with very high sustainability standards.

 

[RiaX]

Where you got this information from?