07.26.06
China Dialogue: consumption in China
China Dialogue: consumption in China:
This discussion at Danwei discusses the growth of consumption in India/China, and the the effect on the environment.
If by 2030 China and India alone were to achieve a per-capita [resource consumption] footprint equivalent to that of Japan today, together they would require a full planet Earth to meet their needs.
If there is a shortage of commodities the prices will rise. The market will take care of the problem. The real story, is how are the citizen’s of what is today the “rich world” going to compete as the number of people reasonably prepared to join the rich world increases from 1B to 3B over the next 40 years? Earth is already proven to support at least 1B people using today’s technology. 40 years worth of technology development will probably open new resource frontiers including the poles and the oceans.
Don’t worry. The market will probably be able to handle it. In any case, mankind will survive.
