too much nature in New York

[Brad De Long]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Brad De Long <delong at econ.Berkeley.EDU>
>Date: Thursday, December 10, 1998 7:31 AM
>
>
>>Yes. It's going to be interesting even if we manage to stabilize world
>>population at 12 billion. If it hits 20 billion by 2100, it will be a
>>much-impoverished world...
>>
>>Brad DeLong
>
>
>Brad, don't do a Malthus: error propagation makes utter nonsense of economic
>forecasts over periods of one century. By 2100 we might have much more
>efficient energy generation, much higher food productivity achieved through
>genetic engineering, etc. Unless, of course, the governments listen to the
>environmentalists' jeremiads and outlaw technological improvements.
>
>Enzo

I don't see a way to improve living standards *fast* *enough* for enough
people to make them willing to devote the resources needed to avoid massive
environmental damage over the next century. Poor people tend not to put too
high a weight on preserving tiger habitat, and rich countries have (so far)
been unable to provide poor nations with large enough incentives to do so.

If you have a strategy I'd love to adopt it...

Brad DeLong