Scientists' Warning on Affluence

A paper published in Nature Communications notes that up to 43 percent of environmental impact is due to the top ten percent of income earners.

For over half a century, worldwide growth in affluence has continuously increased resource use and pollutant emissions far more rapidly than these have been reduced through better technology. The affluent citizens of the world are responsible for most environmental impacts and are central to any future prospect of retreating to safer environmental conditions. We summarise the evidence and present possible solution approaches. Any transition towards sustainability can only be effective if far-reaching lifestyle changes complement technological advancements. However, existing societies, economies and cultures incite consumption expansion and the structural imperative for growth in competitive market economies inhibits necessary societal change.

Update (June 26):  Stephen Corry reacts to the WWF message for "saving our planet", in particular the plans to "roll out the new green tech" and "stabilise the human population as low as we fairly can".

Who bears the real responsibility for doing "the damaging stuff"? After all, there are hundreds of millions of people in the world who live and die, often hungry, who are responsible for practically no pollution at all.

In other words, if you’re worried about overpopulation threatening the environment, then you’re blind to the real menace: It’s not the growing number of "have nots" in the South, but growing overconsumption by the "haves" in the North.

Corry notes that the fascist notion of "replacement theory" has been around for a long time and is more widespread than we realize.

If we really want to save the world, we have to fight against such a truly destructive message. My guess is that it’s a struggle which will never end, but like combatting bigotry, cruelty and disease, that’s no reason not to engage. Here’s the real choice: On the one side are billions of dollars, on the other, billions of lives.