If INDIA and CHINA get 2 the same standards of living as the West is the planet doomed beyond repair?

Question

These two countries alone hold a total of about 2 billion people and rising. If they got to the stage Europe and America is right now, the state of the planet (already under pressure) will just collapse

I know this may anger some ppl, but for there to be rich countries there has to be poor and struggling countries. The planet cannot sustain everyone to a high degree. Therefore, it is GOOD that poverty exists to a certain extent

Answer 1

The only hope is that as natural resources become more and more scarce then people will devise new way to harmonise our existence, so yeah there is no hope really and we are doomed.

Answer 2

And why can it not sustain these nations as they progress? You are assuming the doom peddlers are all correct in there postulations regarding the planet and global warming. The fact is the scientists are just making guesses based on very simple models compared to how the earth really responds to change (e.g. long term weather forecasting is grossly inaccurate, the hole in the ozone layer is reducing when they all forecast otherwise).
History will tell the tale no matter what you believe now. Do not forget that humans have a good record of survival, which includes adapting to environment.
I say let the Eastern countries get on with their progress as we will all benefit in the end.

Answer 3

The planet will definitely not be doomed, but perhaps we will be doomed as species along with many other species, if we do not curb our appetites for "things".

It is clear that a few humans are having a huge impact on ecology, economy and humanity through our overconsumption. If the 2 billion people in India and China were to acquire Western tastes for things, indeed we would be in trouble, this is clear just in terms of the amount of waste we produce biologically and industrially. What can be done?

Western nations have to rethink our values and interests and begin to look beyond our next big mac, part of the problem is that the "ideal" is being mass marketed via the media. As McLuen, a great Canadian, said "the medium is the message" and our message is greed and avarice.

The new message should be minimalism, a reduction of our personal ecological footprint, and consideration for others (human and otherwise). If we can market these philosophies, we have a chance.

If not, it won't be our planet doomed but ourselves and our fellow inhabitants.

Time to get off my soapbox! :)

Answer 4

The 2 countries, China and India already pass the 2 billion people.
The world can´t support the resources consumption rate that we already have.
The ecologically foot is too big for the shoe.
It looks like we have 2 solutions left:
- to reduce drastically the world population
- to go out, into the space.
Don´t worry we still have a few hundred years ahead.

Answer 5

Never mind India or China; the planet is already doomed and it's the fault of the USA. Shame really, a few years ago something could have been done to save it but then we went and allowed the Bushs' to take charge. It's too late now; you can't stop a bobsled from reaching the bottom of the icy hill with rubber boots!

Answer 6

If they did it right, no. Environmental problems do not mean people have to lower their standard of living, they mean we have to be smarter about doing things. Like developing alternative energy sources and using conservation methods to get the same standard of living without using so much energy. An example would be replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents. People still have the same amount of light, but use less energy.

If the follow the US (bad) example and do it stupidly, yes, we're in trouble.

Answer 7

Really, the issue shouldn't be keeping other nations poor. It should be reducing waste and unnecessary consumption in developed nations, and helping third world nations build a reasonable, sustainable lifestyle.

Answer 8

if india and china follow the 'west' there populations will fall as there income grows plus the increase in boy children over girls( or the decrease of girls by infantaside) will mean that there will not be many girls to have children. the globe could support many more people but politics may not

Answer 9

don't worry, anthropogenic global warming is a myth designed to keep the masses in a permanent state of fear because they're much easier to govern that way.

Answer 10

Don't worry; they will get richer as all our jobs are moved over there so we will soon be living in the Stone Age again.