This article from the Wall St Journal may be of interest to some on the List.
Interesting following the recent tacit admissions of "Peak Oil" from Shell's Jeroen van der Veer, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman etc. <> NEW LIMITS TO GROWTH REVIVE MALTHUSIAN FEARS: Spread of prosperity brings supply woes; slaking China's Thirst By Justin Lahart, Patrick Barta and Andrew Batson Wall Street Journal, March 24, 2008 Now and then across the centuries, powerful voices have warned that human activity would overwhelm the earth's resources. The Cassandras always proved wrong. Each time, there were new resources to discover, new technologies to propel growth. Today the old fears are back. Although a Malthusian catastrophe is not at hand, the resource constraints foreseen by the Club of Rome are more evident today than at any time since the 1972 publication of the think tank's famous book, "The Limits of Growth". Steady increases in the prices for oil, wheat, copper and other commodities -- some of which have set record highs this month -- are signs of a lasting shift in demand as yet unmatched by rising supply. As the world grows more populous -- the United Nations projects eight billion people by 2025, up from 6.6 billion today -- it also is growing more prosperous. The average person is consuming more food, water, metal and power. Growing numbers of China's 1.3 billion people and India's 1.1 billion are stepping up to the middle class, adopting the high-protein diets, gasoline-fueled transport and electric gadgets that developed nations enjoy. The result is that demand for resources has soared. If supplies don't keep pace, prices are likely to climb further, economic growth in rich and poor nations alike could suffer, and some fear violent conflicts could ensue. Some of the resources now in great demand have no substitutes. In the 18th century, England responded to dwindling timber supplies by shifting to abundant coal. But there can be no such replacement for arable land and fresh water. Remainder of article can be seen here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120613138379155707.html?mod=googlenews_w sj
