Thinking back to the Oxford Farming Conference, one of the commonly voiced 'facts', often voiced by the NFU, is that we are going to need to increase production to feed the growing world population. Often this is put in terms of the world population increasing by 50%, but dietary changes meaning that food production must increase by 100% (ie double).
So I was interested to read this report (and this editorial) in New Scientist about how we don't have to trash the environment to feed the world. That's a relief!
The report clearly indicates that reducing waste in the developed world is important, and I've always believed that food loss in the less developed world through lack of refrigeration equipment was also significant.
Reducing waste and reducing over-consumption are always good places to start whether it is energy, water or food. It's a small planet with lots of people on it. Tread softly and there can be more feet.
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.
There can be more feet in 'our' forests as well with 135,000 people signing the petition to stop the sell off of the Forestry Commission. If only all the RSPB members would sign up!!
Yes, if we do trash the environment and our wildlife in order to produce more food this will only buy this planet and the human population on it an extremely small amount of extra time before all the eco and life support systems start to collapse. We are already seeing this happen in some localised situations. In other words if we trash the planet the wildlife will disappear first but the human population will follow very soon after. Our wildlfe, is the best indicator of healthy eco systems. By conserving our wildlife we will also be conserving the life support systems of this planet. The over fishing and degredation in the North Sea is a prime example of how to destroy both our wildlife and our food supplies at the same time.
However there is clearly a limit as to how many people this planet can support and at the same time be maintained in a healty condition. The politicians currently do not seem have the courage introduce proposals and guidelines on birth control but it must happen sooner or later and the sooner would be much the better. Unless a definite programme of birth contol is implemented on this planet the problem will just keep rolling forward and becoming worse and worse. If China can do it so must the rest of the world. All nations need to act individually and collectively through the United Nations NOW.
redkite