MAX KUMMEROW CURTIN UNIVERSITY, PERTH, AUSTRALIA (ECONOMICS) VICKI WATSON UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA MISSOULA (ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES) [email protected][email protected]Implementing K* Choosing and moving towards optimum global carrying capacity for humans
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MAX KUMMEROW CURTIN UNIVERSITY, PERTH, AUSTRALIA (ECONOMICS) VICKI WATSON UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA MISSOULA (ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES) [email protected].
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MAX KUMMEROWC U R T I N U N I V E R S I T Y, P E R T H , A U S T R A L I A ( E C O N O M I C S )
VICKI WATSONU N I V E R S I T Y O F M O N TA N A M I S S O U L A ( E N V I R O N M E N TA L S T U D I E S )
m a x k u m m e r o w @ y a h o o . c o mv i c k i . w a t s o n @ u m o n t a n a . e d u
Implementing K* Choosing and moving towards optimum global carrying capacity for humans
Implement via institutional changes Cultural family size preferences Health care & family planning technology & delivery Education & empowerment of women Pro or anti natalist policies & incentives
Choice of K* depends on many factors:
Desired standard of living for self and others Dietary trophic level (how much meat to eat?) Expected rate of technology innovations (increases
K) Exhaustion of natural capital stocks (decreases K) Space allocated to other species Worry about risks of changing the planet too much Aesthetics & preferences for space, congestion,
freedom, wildness Worry about future generations
Human Fertility
2.1 = replacement rate with low mortality12-14 = “natural” fertility rate without
contraception Before 20th century, child and infant mortality
rates (~500/1000), TFR ~5-72012 country fertility rates range from <1 to
>7
Demographic momentum
Populations increase for 40+ years after fertility falls One child policy 1979, 900 m., China peaks 2040, 1.4
b. Births exceed deaths after fertility falls
Between 1972 and 2012 World growth fell from 2% to 1% But population doubled from 3.5 billion to 7 billion.
Growth 80 million per year, 1 billion in 12 years
World Fertility Experiment Results
28 peaceful countries TFR 1.6, 28 violent countries TFR 4.7
Reagan & Bush opposed abortion, cut family planning budgets
Birth control linked to environmentalists, opposed by polluters
Labeled racist by political left (Marx opposed Malthus)
Some assumed problem solved due to falling fertilityFocus on “growth” and “jobs” disregards ecological
limits, assumes population growth a goalMale opposition to empowering women (key to lower
fertility) Population almost a taboo subject, even at ecology
meetings
Theoretical v Actual Demographic Transitions
Assumption: Occurs automatically with modernization
Reality:Requires empowerment of women, education, legal abortion, leadership, PR campaigns, funding, major cultural changes, not at all certain to be completed
1 billion to 10 billion in 250 years, 1800-2050 (7.2 b. now)
Growth in poor, high fertility countries = migration pressures
Projections contingent on future fertility
Medium, low and high fertility differ by 1/2 child/couple
Medium assumes convergence of all countries to near 2.1 (replacement) by 2050.
Current country TFR ranges from < 1 to > 7U.N. Population Projections 2012, billions
Constant Low High Medium
2050
11.1
8.3
10.9 9.5
2100
28.6
6.7
16.6 10.8
Culture as an evolutionary selection factor
“In developed countries, family size preferences make “cultural selection” the strongest driver of evolutionary change. Moreover, Lamarckian transmission of acquired characteristics does occur with “memes.”” Kaufman, Eric Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth, 2010
Fundamentalists of all religions have more children, even in the context of developed countries
2 Mormons 1829, 14.1 million 2012 = 9% growth rate
Fertility differences change population proportions fast
>2.1 exponential growth, <2.1 exponential decay
Secular 1.5 kids
Fundamentalist 3 kids
%Secular
% Fundamentalist
Total Population
Weighted avg Fertility
Gen 1 1.00
1.00 50.0% 50.0%
2.0
2.25
Gen 2 0.75
1.50 33.3% 66.7%
2.3
2.50
Gen 3 0.56
2.25 20.0% 80.0%
2.8
2.70
Gen 4 0.42
3.38 11.1% 88.9%
3.8
2.83
Gen 5 0.32
5.06 5.9% 94.1%
5.4
2.91
Gen 10
0.08
38.44 0.2% 99.8%
38.5
3.00
Current economy unsustainable
Species holocaust, ecological instablityClimate changeHalf of world’s food from natural gas
(N2+CH4)Soil loss exceeds soil formation on crop lands
“Energy slaves” from fossil fuels) increase output multiplying Labor in production function by 200 Y =f(T,K,L*200)
Global one child for 4 generations (or faster or slower) 8 (in year 2025), 4, 2, 1, .5 (by 2125?) )
Or higher mortality & permanent decrease in K Lovelock predicts 1 billion by 2100 Limits to growth predicts collapse, 10 billion to 5 billion
by 2100
Fertility transitions implemented by:
Choose target population and path to K* via public debate
Top level government leadershipEmpowerment and education of womenCultural change (via education, research, etc.)Public relations campaigns (Mexican novellas)Legal abortionSubsidies for birth control“One child” or “two child” policiesSubsidize first child, internalize external costs of
third child World Bank The Global Family Planning Revolution
Family planning alone not enough to save the earth
Reform media and education Inform not sell (current mass media profit motivated) Educated public essential for democracy to function
Reduce population Transition half done, needs completion
Steady state economy Huge cultural change (less greed, less consumption, more “leisure”) Cuban and “happiness research” development model—salsa & relationships , not stuff
Operate economy on current solar energy inputsEnd depletion of natural capital stocksEconomy of abundance rather than scarcityLong lives, high energy lifestyles, peace
Reality check: Sweden: kids do not starve, peaceful, forests, TFR