Earth 'will expire by 2050'

Scruff · 08-07-2002 05:52PM #1

Not much of a Captain Planet myself but interesting reading here .

Earth's population will be forced to colonise two planets within 50 years if natural resources continue to be exploited at the current rate, according to a report out this week.
A study by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to be released on Tuesday, warns that the human race is plundering the planet at a pace that outstrips its capacity to support life.

In a damning condemnation of Western society's high consumption levels, it adds that the extra planets (the equivalent size of Earth) will be required by the year 2050 as existing resources are exhausted.

The report, based on scientific data from across the world, reveals that more than a third of the natural world has been destroyed by humans over the past three decades.

Experts say that seas will become emptied of fish while forests - which absorb carbon dioxide emissions - are completely destroyed and freshwater supplies become scarce and polluted.

The report offers a vivid warning that either people curb their extravagant lifestyles or risk leaving the onus on scientists to locate another planet that can sustain human life. Since this is unlikely to happen, the only option is to cut consumption now.

And surprise, surprise, America is the main culprit:

The WWF report shames the US for placing the greatest pressure on the environment. It found the average US resident consumes almost double the resources as that of a UK citizen and more than 24 times that of some Africans.

America's consumption 'footprint' is 12.2 hectares per head of population compared to the UK's 6.29ha while Western Europe as a whole stands at 6.28ha. In Ethiopia the figure is 2ha, falling to just half a hectare for Burundi, the country that consumes least resources

Attention is now focused on next month's Earth Summit in Johannesburg, the most important environmental negotiations for a decade.

However, the talks remain bedevilled with claims that no agreements will be reached and that US President George W. Bush will fail to attend.

Matthew Spencer, a spokesman for Greenpeace, said: 'There will have to be concessions from the richer nations to the poorer ones or there will be fireworks.'

The preparatory conference for the summit, held in Bali last month, was marred by disputes between developed nations and poorer states and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), despite efforts by British politicians to broker compromises on key issues.

America, which sent 300 delegates to the conference, is accused of blocking many of the key initiatives on energy use, biodiversity and corporate responsibility.

well, i'll be heading towards my twilight years by then (hopefully), but it looks like my perspective offspring will be in for a rough time.....

azezil · 08-07-2002 06:25PM

hrm well hardly surpriseing that an american citizen produces a lot more waste than someone in africa, more disposable income.

The american's may be the worst but we're not much better, just today i heard on the news Ireland/ irish government is being charged with not abiding by EU law regaurding Air pollution.

Karoma · 09-07-2002 11:38AM

Originally posted by azezil

The american's may be the worst but we're not much better, just today i heard on the news Ireland/ irish government is being charged with not abiding by EU law regaurding Air pollution.

that'll be the methane from the bull...

Sposs · 09-07-2002 04:41PM

I'll take this news with a pinch of salt! after all isnt every few years greenpeace comes up with "the world is about to end story" just to wake us up to enviormental issues.

Rev Hellfire · 09-07-2002 05:01PM

It you take an earth further to the back of the shelf you'll find one with a later expiry date.

EvilGeorge · 09-07-2002 05:08PM

Well I suppose 50 more years will do me fine.

So if we had to go offworld I dont think any of the present researched planets will support us , so I'll hang here till then.

stackboundary · 11-07-2002 10:39AM

Consistently throughout the history of the human species the greatest asset the human has had over all documented species on this planet throughout it's histroy has been man's ability to remake his environment.

Humans are similar metaphorically speaking to Neo in the Matrix, we are capable of remaking our environment as we desire on a scale that other lifeforms simply do not have the capacity to do.

This is unfortunately also part of our greatest downfall, yes humans can remake their environment on a massive scale, but that scale is not accountable, thus humans can strip the planet on an industrial scale, but without real impetus, without a real thorn to prick the sides of our intent, humans will simply continue to leech this planet dry until such time as we wise up... or spread like those aliens in the film Independance day, from planet to planet consuming natural resources and polluting with little or no attempt to create an equilibrium with our environment.

For humans it is not so much a food chain, for everything is prey to us.

Who's the leader of the world.. friend to you and meee?
M I C..k e y. m o u s e
Mickey mouse... MICKEY MOUSE
Mickey mouse... MICkey Mouse

Scruff · 11-07-2002 10:54AM

er... very profound stackboundary.
or a good attempt at it anyway...

mike65 · 15-07-2002 07:09PM

I was going to read that article in the paper but when I read the headline a second time I decided not to bother, I mean 50 years?, colonise other planets?, the author has been watching too many Space 1999 re-runs!

I recall vaguely a chart from about 20-25 years back which reckoned the population of the earth would hit 10 billion by 2020, I wonder if the 6 billion of 2000 was on the trend graph that chart predicted?

Take all such articles with a keg of salt, there is a whole "save the world" industry out there thses days (btw I'm all in favour of hugging trees etc, just in case you thought otherwise!).

Mike.

ykt0di9url7bc3 · 15-07-2002 07:11PM

i think a mass migration to mars is on the cards or a giant leap in recycle technology

or better still, world war 3....50 years! ha i wont be drafted

sceptre · 15-07-2002 10:21PM

Originally posted by mike65
I recall vaguely a chart from about 20-25 years back which reckoned the population of the earth would hit 10 billion by 2020, I wonder if the 6 billion of 2000 was on the trend graph that chart predicted?

I think it was. Older more silly projections put the world's population by 2100 at 48 billion (which we certainly couldn't support with resources). It's not that long since the population was just 5 billion - I can remember the population passing 5 billion (it happened in 1987). Realistically a population of under 8 billion can be expected for 2020, based on current trends.

Don't forget the population dubled from 1950 to 1985 (from under 2.5 billion to under 5)

RedKidTheband · 16-07-2002 10:12AM

Right ... all I want to say is That I don't like George Bush, In fack I think the guy is an idiot... and I realised that from day one... and onlyl now is the world waking up...

you know that film Naked Gun 2 & 1/2 well I think he;s like the bad guy in that ... and Its so similar that I think he took his ideals from that film ... the guy is an idiot... (I would like to use stronger language but... don't think they'd let me post ...

So lets sort it out now... get global warming sorted... if it means that the ecomony has to stand still for 3 years or take a few steps back ...well then so be it I want to live in a tree anyway
@Ronan

stackboundary · 18-07-2002 12:57PM

Yeah....

Unfortunately the reality is that for sceptics, whatever the motive for said scepticism is economic, patriotic, ignorance, lack of facts,[insert one of a miasma of excuses] the simple fact is that for sections of society who find acting in an environmentally sound way... inconvienent or inexpedient for 'some reason' there will most likely not be a self initiated change of attitude.

In reality for those who's interests would seem to conflict with environmental protectionism and concillation it will only be under duress that the bare minimum to redress environmental damage will be initiated.

In my view it is probably the case that if acid rain were killing half of the plant life on earth, but no-one stood up to shout about it, the political establishment (by the very nature of political establishment) would be quite content to allow the entire eco-system to collapse, so long as the politicians in question still had 'whatever maslowian needs/desires' satisfied said politicians required.

Earth will not expire by 2050 unless humans let loose a nuclear war or similar, however it is highly likely that with a massive increase in population and pollution putting huge pressue on the ability of the earth to feed such a massive population that either the earth will become a used hulk which we 'humans' abandon to move onto and leech dry another habitat or simply put, humans will be forced to become a part of their environment as opposed to it's irrefutable masters.

I'll be the Russians

Mercury_Tilt · 18-07-2002 01:45PM

This post has been deleted.

WhiteWashMan · 18-07-2002 01:57PM

of course, if we do get a nuclear war between pakistan and india then straight away thats nearly a third of the worlds population gone.
makes it easier on the rest of us.

china could get involved.
wow! there you go, about a third of the world left.....

stackboundary · 23-07-2002 01:50PM

Of course even if a nuclear war were confined to China,India and Pakistan, in all likelyhood there would be enough radiation and dust thrown into the atmosphere to make either radiation poisoning or starvation due to a small scale nuclear winter likely for most of the rest of the planet. Think about it, you're talking about a war that would eradicate roughly one third of the world's population so those who did not become incinerated in the flashburn and made into a constituant part of a sea of glass where once there was a city, would suffer the after effects of radiation and nuclear winter.

For those who died in the inital flash burn it would almost seem merciful.

"We will be spared the horror of survival"

BJJ · 18-08-2002 03:00PM

Oil and many other natural resources will expire in 30 years

However we will then fuel our cities with Chemical & Nuclear Energy.

Also because of a lack of Farm land Cow and other Livestock will be grown in Labs & Factories instead of farms.

Or we could just have a big war to decrease the surplus population.

Are you ready?

poobags · 30-08-2002 10:00AM

In my view it is probably the case that if acid rain were killing half of the plant life on earth, but no-one stood up to shout about it, the political establishment (by the very nature of political establishment) would be quite content to allow the entire eco-system to collapse, so long as the politicians in question still had 'whatever maslowian needs/desires' satisfied said politicians required

Oh please, thats bull. Politicians arn't that bad. All these measures to save the planet arn't goin to happen overnight but they will be in place in about 10 years.
ITs not just the politicians who are to blame its US.

Yes we are the main culprits. Every single one of use. And until everyone gets their act together collectively then the earth is goin to suffer. But its not easy tellin that to lesser deveoped countries who have witnnessed how the major countries are succesful. They see us exploiting the earth and they do the same.

ITs a hard one but at least its being recognised these days as an issue of major importance. I'd say bout 15 years time elections will be won and lost on issues about the enviroment not income tax.

GreenHell · 30-08-2002 10:29AM

Aww crap I might not be dead by then.

Sposs · 30-08-2002 10:37AM

If Earth Expires i want me money back

seamus · 30-08-2002 02:50PM

Originally posted by mike65
I recall vaguely a chart from about 20-25 years back which reckoned the population of the earth would hit 10 billion by 2020, I wonder if the 6 billion of 2000 was on the trend graph that chart predicted?

As the man says, "You can use facts to prove anything." This is all similar to the Elvis Ratio. 20-25 years ago, they seemed to love making graphs and estimates, and one those estimates said that at the current rate of growth (20 years ago), 1 in 4 people in the world would be an Elvis impersonator by 2010. Patent nonsense, buts it's what happens when you try to use current facts to make long-term estimates. /me does statistics, knows about this stuff.

It's all well and good to say, "Ahhhhh! We've only 50 years to live! We better do something about it now!", but at the end of the day, that figure will be wildly off. It would be true if we all stopped breeding, and used the exact same amount of resources every day for the next 50 years, but of course that won't happen. Every millisecond of every day, the world is changing, so any predictions further then a year are totally useless, and even then, it's quite unreliable. As others had said, there are far too many unknown variables - A sudden removal of say a third of humans from the planet, the development of nuclear fusion, some sort of breakthrough in space travel, whatever.

To call this prediction, 50 years into the future, 'a rough estimate' is a massive overstatement. It's just scaremongering, pure and simple.....

And who dragged this up again?

photty · 03-09-2002 10:48AM

<edit> keep the posts on topic or else u will get banned - Keeks </edit>

mike65 · 04-09-2002 06:54PM

Originally posted by BJJ
Oil and many other natural resources will expire in 30 years

They were saying that 30 years ago, but then they were saying the paperless office would have arrived by now too...bloody liers the lot of them!

Mike.

Earth 'will expire by 2050'

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