Your point about emerging nations is well taken. I would probably be a lot happier about China and India if the fact that their newfound ability to buy cars didn't also mean that, in moving up towards our standard of living, they're also moving up towards our standard of polluting.
The environmental implications are deeply troubling to me. If you ask about global overpopulation and its effects on the environment, most people will answer "Yeah --- those Africans and Asians have too many children". But at least until recently, it's been Westerners who've been the biggest problem, in terms of environmental impact. When it comes to use of resources and level of pollution, a Western couple calling it a day after having had two children is similar to an Indian couple throwing in the towel after 10, or an Ethiopian couple saying "enough" after a few dozen or so. But as you said, clearly, those formulae are changing: positively in terms of living standards, but negatively in terms of environmental impact (at least short-term. Better, cleaner technologies may save our bacon, hopefully!!!).
But if it all comes with the added effect that in additional to (and because of?) higher living standards, religious fundamentalism will hold less power in those parts of the world, that sweetens the pot significantly! I love a silver lining!
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ninetydegrees
no subject
on 2006-02-28 02:49 am (UTC)The environmental implications are deeply troubling to me. If you ask about global overpopulation and its effects on the environment, most people will answer "Yeah --- those Africans and Asians have too many children". But at least until recently, it's been Westerners who've been the biggest problem, in terms of environmental impact. When it comes to use of resources and level of pollution, a Western couple calling it a day after having had two children is similar to an Indian couple throwing in the towel after 10, or an Ethiopian couple saying "enough" after a few dozen or so. But as you said, clearly, those formulae are changing: positively in terms of living standards, but negatively in terms of environmental impact (at least short-term. Better, cleaner technologies may save our bacon, hopefully!!!).
But if it all comes with the added effect that in additional to (and because of?) higher living standards, religious fundamentalism will hold less power in those parts of the world, that sweetens the pot significantly! I love a silver lining!