What do you think?
Rate this book
The Resourceful Earth: A Response to Global 2000
Predicts what the world will be like at the turn of the century in terms of agriculture, world population, water resources, climate, minerals, oil, nuclear power, environmental quality, nutrition, and health
596 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1984
20 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 25, 2024
A COLLECTION OF ESSAYS OPPOSING THE "GLOBAL 2000" REPORT
This 1984 book is a collection of essays on a wide variety of environmental issues (from solar energy to global warming to soil erosion). Their Executive Summary states, "The original 1980 The Global 2000 Report to the President is frightening... But it is dead wrong. Now 'The Resourceful Earth,' a response to Global 2000, presents the relevant reliable trend evidence which mainly reassures rather than frightens." (Pg. 1)
They note that the book was originally conceived out of response to an initiative by the EPA, although after public outcry when their views became known, EPA "never came through with funding. The reader may wonder whether this account is sour grapes. We think not." (Pg. 37)
They admit that "It is certainly reasonable to ASSUME that man-made industrial pollutions increase as the most backward countries begin to modernize, get somewhat less poor, and purchase pollution-creating industrial plants... but it is misleading to suggest that there are DATA showing that such pollution is a major problem." (Pg. 8-9)
One essayist states, "I cannot reasonably understand how it was possible for the report's authors to go from a reasonably optimistic projection of future food supply prospects to a strikingly gloomy projection of the world food supply..." (Pg. 103)
If one is looking for a comprehensive (if fairly much "dated") conservative and optimistic perspective on a wide variety of environmental issues, this book will be quite satisfactory.
This 1984 book is a collection of essays on a wide variety of environmental issues (from solar energy to global warming to soil erosion). Their Executive Summary states, "The original 1980 The Global 2000 Report to the President is frightening... But it is dead wrong. Now 'The Resourceful Earth,' a response to Global 2000, presents the relevant reliable trend evidence which mainly reassures rather than frightens." (Pg. 1)
They note that the book was originally conceived out of response to an initiative by the EPA, although after public outcry when their views became known, EPA "never came through with funding. The reader may wonder whether this account is sour grapes. We think not." (Pg. 37)
They admit that "It is certainly reasonable to ASSUME that man-made industrial pollutions increase as the most backward countries begin to modernize, get somewhat less poor, and purchase pollution-creating industrial plants... but it is misleading to suggest that there are DATA showing that such pollution is a major problem." (Pg. 8-9)
One essayist states, "I cannot reasonably understand how it was possible for the report's authors to go from a reasonably optimistic projection of future food supply prospects to a strikingly gloomy projection of the world food supply..." (Pg. 103)
If one is looking for a comprehensive (if fairly much "dated") conservative and optimistic perspective on a wide variety of environmental issues, this book will be quite satisfactory.
Displaying 1 of 1 review