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We also use far less farmland than we did in the past, mostly due to the "green revolution" in the 1970s.

bmitc 2mo ago
That's isn't true globally. For example, see here: https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/september/global-changes-in-agricultural-production-productivity-and-resource-use-over-six-decades https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/september/global-c... > Agricultural land area expanded 7.6 percent between 1961 and 2020 and currently occupies 32 percent of the world’s land area. Irrigated area more than doubled.
- hunterpayne 2mo ago
  The process started in the first decade of the 20th century. It was largely finished by the 1980s. As for increases in irrigation, that's a few different things, but the largest part is substance farmers finally getting some infrastructure. I'm sorry to tell you, but the world isn't ending. Guess you will have to find another way to scare the plebs.
  - cassepipe 2mo ago
    No one thinks the world is going to end. What we know is that it's going to be a harder to much harder world to live in if we are not able to coordinate globally. It's not just the climate, it's how much food we can grow, scarcity, poverty the politics of scarcity (authoritarianism), massive migration waves and how long we are going to be able to enjoy life outside during the year.
  - bmitc 2mo ago
    I didn't argue anything. I only pointed out that your statement was incorrect as stated.
AngryData 2mo ago
We use less farmland to produce the same thing mostly because we artificially juice land with fossil fuel derived fertilizer. Declining farmland utilization could be a good thing, but I think in most actual cases it isn't because it represents higher fossil fuel usage and more aggressive usage of the top soil, which leads to its depletion. This could change though, with better top soil management and more green energy production to produce fertilizer without fossil fuels it could turn into a good thing in practice.

bmitc 2mo ago

That's isn't true globally. For example, see here: https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/september/global-changes-in-agricultural-production-productivity-and-resource-use-over-six-decades https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/september/global-c... > Agricultural land area expanded 7.6 percent between 1961 and 2020 and currently occupies 32 percent of the world’s land area. Irrigated area more than doubled.

hunterpayne 2mo ago
The process started in the first decade of the 20th century. It was largely finished by the 1980s. As for increases in irrigation, that's a few different things, but the largest part is substance farmers finally getting some infrastructure. I'm sorry to tell you, but the world isn't ending. Guess you will have to find another way to scare the plebs.
- cassepipe 2mo ago
  No one thinks the world is going to end. What we know is that it's going to be a harder to much harder world to live in if we are not able to coordinate globally. It's not just the climate, it's how much food we can grow, scarcity, poverty the politics of scarcity (authoritarianism), massive migration waves and how long we are going to be able to enjoy life outside during the year.
- bmitc 2mo ago
  I didn't argue anything. I only pointed out that your statement was incorrect as stated.

AngryData 2mo ago

We use less farmland to produce the same thing mostly because we artificially juice land with fossil fuel derived fertilizer. Declining farmland utilization could be a good thing, but I think in most actual cases it isn't because it represents higher fossil fuel usage and more aggressive usage of the top soil, which leads to its depletion. This could change though, with better top soil management and more green energy production to produce fertilizer without fossil fuels it could turn into a good thing in practice.