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The world's population is going to have 20% more people by 2050. I don't see how we are going to stop climate change let alone reverse it. Without phasing out f

The world's population is going to have 20% more people by 2050. I don't see how we are going to stop climate change let alone reverse it. Without phasing out fossil fuels completely as all effiency gains will be lost with higher usage. The best we can do now is slow it down a bit when we really need to reverse it by carbon capture or something.

RickJWagner 8y ago
I wonder why more discussions about population control aren't seen. It seems that fewer people will result in fewer pollutants.
- Armisael16 8y ago
  The countries with rapidly expanding populations are not the ones with significant per-capita carbon emissions.
  - ripsawridge 8y ago
    True, but a) it's very much on the plan of every country without significant per-capita carbon emissions to become a country with significant per-capita carbon emissions, and b) the expanding populations can and often do emigrate to countries with significant per-capita carbon emissions where they add to the per-capita. High emissions come from a monetary economy with a requirement of profit. Soon each remaining part of the world outside that economy will be a part of it, because this is how the monetary economy expands: putting regions "outside" under it's control. I just don't understand how people are sanguine that "now" it's "fine" because the rapidly expanding populations are outside of regions with intensive economic development, because very soon they will be inside such regions, either because a capital-intensive region enveloped them (no more free sheep grazing on the meadow, etc) or because the need for money in some area of their lives drove them into a capital-intensive region (favelas, etc.).
- xbmcuser 8y ago
  Population control is a very hard thing to discuss specially with the world's 2 largest religions completely opposed to it. The developed world ie most Western countries population would actually go down if not for immigration so devolping African countries where the largest population growth is expected would help but for that we would need to use more fossil fuels so increase carbon usage. We need to spend trillions today to change the future while making a lot of sacrifices in the present. I don't see that happening so am very pessimistic for the future generations
lolive 8y ago
War and famine will take care of that (as they always did).
hackeraccount 8y ago
The world is also going to be a hell of a lot richer in 2050. Think of all the things we'll be able to buy that will fix the problems coming down the pike.

RickJWagner 8y ago

I wonder why more discussions about population control aren't seen. It seems that fewer people will result in fewer pollutants.

Armisael16 8y ago
The countries with rapidly expanding populations are not the ones with significant per-capita carbon emissions.
- ripsawridge 8y ago
  True, but a) it's very much on the plan of every country without significant per-capita carbon emissions to become a country with significant per-capita carbon emissions, and b) the expanding populations can and often do emigrate to countries with significant per-capita carbon emissions where they add to the per-capita. High emissions come from a monetary economy with a requirement of profit. Soon each remaining part of the world outside that economy will be a part of it, because this is how the monetary economy expands: putting regions "outside" under it's control. I just don't understand how people are sanguine that "now" it's "fine" because the rapidly expanding populations are outside of regions with intensive economic development, because very soon they will be inside such regions, either because a capital-intensive region enveloped them (no more free sheep grazing on the meadow, etc) or because the need for money in some area of their lives drove them into a capital-intensive region (favelas, etc.).
xbmcuser 8y ago
Population control is a very hard thing to discuss specially with the world's 2 largest religions completely opposed to it. The developed world ie most Western countries population would actually go down if not for immigration so devolping African countries where the largest population growth is expected would help but for that we would need to use more fossil fuels so increase carbon usage. We need to spend trillions today to change the future while making a lot of sacrifices in the present. I don't see that happening so am very pessimistic for the future generations

lolive 8y ago

War and famine will take care of that (as they always did).

hackeraccount 8y ago

The world is also going to be a hell of a lot richer in 2050. Think of all the things we'll be able to buy that will fix the problems coming down the pike.