Prof Aubrey Manning - Population - Can We Begin to Talk Sensibly?

Prof Aubrey Manning, Emeritus Professor of Natural History, presents "Population - can we begin to talk sensibly?".

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Our Changing World
• Aubrey Manning
• Edinburgh
• University
• population
• growth
• sustainability
• environmental

[Hirvassalo]

@innerrevolution1 An excellent point, though reducing meat&dairy even to the recommended levels (which is at least as low as I've reduced it to) would help quite a bit, since (at least as Finland and USA are concerned) the consumption of those is several times higher than recommended. For instance, the Finnish recommendation is max. 0,3 kilograms/week (of meat), but an average Finn consumes 1,419 kg/week. And an average US citizen is even worse, at 2,378 kg/week.

[Hirvassalo]

@fortrosenz I suppose he wished not to be prompted to make any estimates as to WHEN the food crisis would be expected to occur. The reason for that would be the fact that all previous Malthusian estimates for that have failed due to not being able to predict the technologies increasing food production. Therefore, to openly predict such a disaster is to risk to maintain the economists' optimism. At the point when even they'd have to admit, as A.A.Bartlett has shown, it'd be too late.

[fortrosenz]

This biologist isn't being completely honest. He must know that nature's way to balance a population is food scarcity. He finally says something like that right at the very end of the question session.



[innerrevolution1]

As long as GM companies are run by profiteers and psychopaths, that won't help much. There is too much invested interest in control and power.

We need a massive breakdown of these mental structures which can only happen through chaos and a great extent of painful experiences, unfortunately, but at the end of the day people will be thankful, if they choose to learn.

This is probably about to happen, if we are lucky, with the financial system collapsing, before the biological one does.

[innerrevolution1]

Great talk and points at the end. Although I see that population is an enormous issue I still believe the key solution is to inspire wisdom and compassion, and appropriate actions, starting with the self. If rich countries don't radically reduce their meat and dairy intake, CO2 and other ecological footprint AS WELL as ethically planning their families, then they can't expect non-fascist population control.

Speaking as a vegan, who e.g. flew e.g. 2x in the last 15 years... still not perfect

[jtlanmanjr]

great talk, it was an honor being able to be in attendance

[andy765gtr]

a good talk, but not enough emphasis on peak oil, and he's FAR too respectful of economists

[Gladd1s]

Stimulating and thoughtful

[EdwinaTS]

Good quality discussion at the end. Don't miss!

[EdwinaTS]

They are not great speakers, but their information is valuable. Insightful observations.