Ecological Pessimists Flashcards
Who are the Ecological Pessimists
Thomas Malthus - 1798
Club of Rome - 1972
Malthus - As the population grows what will happen to the food supply
It will run out
Examples of where Malthus was correct
1860s Irish potato famine
25% of the population died or had to emigrate due to the lack of food. lost 2 million people
What does Malthus believe about population growth and food supply
Population Growth is geometric e.g. 2,4,8,16,32 etc…
Food supply only grows arithmetically
1,2,3,4,5 etc..
What did the club of rome predict
That in 100 years there would be a massive population decline
What did malthus say humans should do
Exercise moral restraint
What did the predict would happen during 1970s/1980s
There would be millions of deaths due to a famine
What would happen due to overusing resources - COR
There would be a famine
Examples of club of rome being correct
In 1984 - Ethiopia Famine
1 million people died due to a massive increase in population less food resources available per person
