WCDM 2011: The entry of the Optimist (Nathaniel Forbes) & Pessimist (David Parsons)

Optimist or Pessimist? A debate about the future of water, food, climate and population.

Nat Forbes is the optimist who argues in this presentation that mankind will adapt, slowly and grudgingly, to too many people competing for too little food and water in widening extremes of weather. He points to current examples of adaption under extreme duress: how Kalahari Bushmen survived extreme water scarcity in Botswana's 'Heart of Dryness'; how Cubans survived a 50 year embargo on food imports; how Singapore maintains First World living standards with the third-highest population density in the world. He argues that resilience professionals have an important role in modifying human behavior to avoid catastrophes. Dave Parsons is the pessimist who argues in this presentation that human nature is not to mitigate the impacts, or in fact to even recognize developing strategic global threats until it is too late. Communities and businesses will be directly and unexpectedly impacted by disruptions to the environments in which they operate. He argues that resilience professionals will be on the front line supporting complex response operations at the last minute as supply chains reach tipping points and suddenly fail. David will present the impacts of the intersections of the strategic global threats building around us. Dave and Nat conclude their presentation in agreement on one point, however: the single most important change in human behavior that all resilience professionals should be advocating.

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Nonprofits & Activism