A Flexitarian diet to save 10bn people

[Listlad]

2 assumptions are being made
1-That the population will continue to grow
2- That food production has reached its zenith

Just like peak oil didnt happen,and new methods have increased production,so will new methods continue to increase food production.Farming has continually increased production,IMO that will continue.

Now there is some sense in that post. Exactly. And peak oil is a very good analogy.

 

[Oldvatr]

Now there is some sense in that post. Exactly. And peak oil is a very good analogy.

I am all for talking sense, and provided we can stop the politicians messing things up in 2020, then maybe sense will prevail, but it is not looking hopeful at the moment.

 

[enb54]

Soylent Green is not on my menu of favourite foods...

 

[bulkbiker]

the slowing down of population growth of China being a key factor there in the second instance.

The one child policy was officially abandoned in 2013... have the effects of that and more wealth really filtered through yet?

 

[Member496333]

I have read somewhere that the rate of population growth is slowing. Not sure if that is true but I bet it will be if this diet is forced upon us through legislation.

 

[enb54]

At the risk of drifting off topic, I have read some literature that asserts methane from livestock being greenhouse neutral, since it degrades in the atmosphere within ~10 years.

I personally worry more about natural genetic manipulation of diseases (i.e. swine flu) or purposeful weaponizing of diseases by governments or extremists, which would have the potential to wipe out a large chunk of humanity. In this age of anti vaccination movements and others who deny science based fact, I don't find it likely that we will successfully halt global climate change or any of the other problems that our foolish misuse of technology has precipitated. Our successors will surely thank us for using up much of the planet's resources and causing the extinction of many of the planet's species...

 

[Oldvatr]

Soylent Green is not on my menu of favourite foods...

Set in the year 2022, not that different from the 2020 being considered by UK politicians for the planet saving diet to become the norm. Makes the most of the term recycling, which is also in common parlance at the moment.

 

[Oldvatr]

I personally worry more about natural genetic manipulation of diseases (i.e. swine flu) or purposeful weaponizing of diseases by governments or extremists, which would have the potential to wipe out a large chunk of humanity. In this age of anti vaccination movements and others who deny science based fact, I don't find it likely that we will successfully halt global climate change or any of the other problems that our foolish misuse of technology has precipitated. Our successors will surely thank us for using up much of the planet's resources and causing the extinction of many of the planet's species...

We will have successors?

 

[enb54]

We will have successors?

I'm thinking of that song "In the Year 2525"...

 

[Bluetit1802]

I am all for talking sense, and provided we can stop the politicians messing things up in 2020, then maybe sense will prevail, but it is not looking hopeful at the moment.

It might, if only plant foods were served in the restaurants and canteens at Westminster - with dice sized pieces of meat.

 

[Member496333]

It might, if only plant foods were served in the restaurants and canteens at Westminster - with dice sized pieces of meat.

Don’t forget the weekly solitary boiled egg

 

[Bluetit1802]

Don’t forget the weekly solitary boiled egg

But they could have whole wheat bread soldiers with it.

 

[Oldvatr]

But they could have whole wheat bread soldiers with it.

with inch thick marge slabs on them. And nutritional yeast for their B12,

 

[Member496333]

with inch thick marge slabs on them.

Axle grease

 

[Oldvatr]

Axle grease

Echo or Stork? Or even Crisco or Trex. I remember them well, and not with affection it might be said.

 

[Listlad]

Slower world population growth due to lower fertility rates

Future population growth is highly dependent on the path that future fertility will take, as relatively small changes in fertility behaviour, when projected over decades, can generate large differences in total population. In recent years, fertility has declined in virtually all areas of the world, even in Africa where fertility levels remain the highest of any major area.

Ageing population growing rapidly

The slowdown in population growth, due to the overall reduction in fertility, causes the proportion of older persons to increase over time. Globally the number of persons aged 60 or above is expected to more than double by 2050 and more than triple by 2100.

A significant ageing of the population in the next several decades is projected for most regions of the world, starting with Europe where 34 % of the population is projected to be over 60 years old by 2050. In Latin America and the Caribbean and in Asia, the population will be transformed from having 11% to 12% of people over 60 years old today to more than 25% by 2050. Africa has the youngest age distribution of any major area, but it is also projected to age rapidly, with the population aged 60 years or over rising from 5% today to 9% by 2050.

https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/2015-report.html

 

[Bluetit1802]

So why not cull all us wrinklies, like they may do with cows, pigs, sheep and hens. Is that coming next? It would not surprise me.

 

[Oldvatr]

Slower world population growth due to lower fertility rates

Future population growth is highly dependent on the path that future fertility will take, as relatively small changes in fertility behaviour, when projected over decades, can generate large differences in total population. In recent years, fertility has declined in virtually all areas of the world, even in Africa where fertility levels remain the highest of any major area.

Ageing population growing rapidly

The slowdown in population growth, due to the overall reduction in fertility, causes the proportion of older persons to increase over time. Globally the number of persons aged 60 or above is expected to more than double by 2050 and more than triple by 2100.

A significant ageing of the population in the next several decades is projected for most regions of the world, starting with Europe where 34 % of the population is projected to be over 60 years old by 2050. In Latin America and the Caribbean and in Asia, the population will be transformed from having 11% to 12% of people over 60 years old today to more than 25% by 2050. Africa has the youngest age distribution of any major area, but it is also projected to age rapidly, with the population aged 60 years or over rising from 5% today to 9% by 2050.

https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/2015-report.html

Pass the Viagra, mate. Gotta get me some successors. 2050 ain't that far away gonna get a shift on or it will all be over too soon,

 

[bulkbiker]

Slower world population growth due to lower fertility rates

Future population growth is highly dependent on the path that future fertility will take, as relatively small changes in fertility behaviour, when projected over decades, can generate large differences in total population. In recent years, fertility has declined in virtually all areas of the world, even in Africa where fertility levels remain the highest of any major area.

Ageing population growing rapidly

The slowdown in population growth, due to the overall reduction in fertility, causes the proportion of older persons to increase over time. Globally the number of persons aged 60 or above is expected to more than double by 2050 and more than triple by 2100.

A significant ageing of the population in the next several decades is projected for most regions of the world, starting with Europe where 34 % of the population is projected to be over 60 years old by 2050. In Latin America and the Caribbean and in Asia, the population will be transformed from having 11% to 12% of people over 60 years old today to more than 25% by 2050. Africa has the youngest age distribution of any major area, but it is also projected to age rapidly, with the population aged 60 years or over rising from 5% today to 9% by 2050.

https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/2015-report.html

A/ No mention of China

B/ I thought that average life expectancy was going down and that living longer than parents was no longer expected.

I just wish they would make up their minds...

 

[Listlad]

A/ No mention of China

B/ I thought that average life expectancy was going down and that living longer than parents was no longer expected.

I just wish they would make up their minds...

I wasn’t responding to your question on China. But China does get a mention in that particular link, just one of many references on the topic. Sure, it is anyone’s guess on the future but it is wise not to assume necessarily that the current trend will continue at the same rate.

The good news on population growth is that it appears to be asymptoting between 10 to 12 billion around 2100. All developed nations have net fertility rates below replacement & as the developing world changes similar numbers are expected.