3 ms·

70% of the earth is covered by water. If need be we can always desalinate with nuclear energy. Soil? Are you serious? 95% of soil depletion has happened in th

• Alex3917 14y ago
  "If need be we can always desalinate with nuclear energy." While I have no doubt that renewable energy, nuclear, and desalination technology will all continue to improve, it's hard to believe that desalinating enough water to grow food for 10 billion people will ever be possible. I have no doubt that civilization will be possible at some level, but the claim of the original article is that things will continue to get better for the 5 billion people who are going to be at the bottom of the pyramid, which seems dubious. Also, while soil can be renewed, it isn't currently happening. And while it could happen at some point in the future, when we get hit by the triple threat of no more cheap water and oil-based fertilizer it's hard to believe that we're going to be able to fix all three problems at once without first going through a period of mass starvation and/or another world war. It's certainly possible that we'll rise to the challenge through a combination of new technology and competent leadership, but based on the way things are going currently it seems like an outside chance.
  • argumentum 14y ago
    It's certainly possible that we'll rise to the challenge through a combination of new technology and competent leadership... There you go, that's the beginning of optimism :)