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Does the Earth have a Carrying Capacity for Humans?

You may have heard of the English clergyman, Thomas Malthus, who in1798 predicted the Earth could not support an ever-increasing human population without resulting in famine.  He didn’t get it quite right and his theory has been dismissed because, obviously, we are still here.   course, that is no comfort to the millions who do starve to death each year.__________

Thomas Malthus’s theory of the detrimental effects of an ever-increasing human population has evolved into the broader ecological concept of the Earth’s carrying capacity.  It is admittedly difficult to estimate, but a wild guess is 2 to 40 billion people.  40 billion, if everyone lived at subsistence levels, but perhaps around 2 billion, if everyone lived like the average North American. _________

Many famous economists dismiss the idea of a limited carrying capacity.  Lawrence Summers, past chief economist of the world bank says, "There are no limits to carrying capacity of the Earth that are likely to bind any time in the foreseeable future.  The idea that we should put limits on growth because of some natural limit is a profound error."__________

The pro-growth argument against the concept of Earth’s carrying capacity is that technological advances will unceasingly expand any so-called limited carrying capacity.  This “argument” could be credible and persuasive if it were rooted in any of the earth sciences or  environmental sciences.  It isn’t. 

 

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John McDonald

EcoFaith Network NE MN Team
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Duluth, MN

Northeastern Minnesota Synod

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NE-MN Synod ELCA with Saint Paul Area Synod Care of Creation

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