Growth: From Microorganisms to Megacities

by Vaclav Smil

In contrast, it is not difficult to offer a very different scenario that, while not highly likely, is not implausible. African fertilities decline much faster than expected. Indian population growth decelerates rapidly. Rest of the world sees population stagnations and declines. Aging populations consume less and this, in combination with relative dematerialization, eases the burdens imposed on the biosphere. Economic growth moderates while advances in energy conversion and storage usher in affordable all-electric or hydrogen economies. Natural ecosystems begin their comeback, as forests have already done in Europe and parts of North America. I wish all of this came to pass as rapidly as possible—but acting as responsible risk