Support First Things by turning your adblocker off or by making a  donation. Thanks!

Are we on the brink of an ecological “Great Disruption”? Paul Gilding thinks so, reports Thomas Friedman.

Gilding cites the work of the Global Footprint Network, an alliance of scientists, which calculates how many “planet Earths” we need to sustain our current growth rates. G.F.N. measures how much land and water area we need to produce the resources we consume and absorb our waste, using prevailing technology. On the whole, says G.F.N., we are currently growing at a rate that is using up the Earth’s resources far faster than they can be sustainably replenished, so we are eating into the future. Right now, global growth is using about 1.5 Earths. “Having only one planet makes this a rather significant problem,” says Gilding.

Sounds ominous. Do we need to revisit our undergirding assumptions about what makes for healthy economic life? What are your thoughts?


Comments are visible to subscribers only. Log in or subscribe to join the conversation.

Tags

Loading...

Filter First Thoughts Posts

Related Articles