In this BBC-aired documentary, famed naturalist David Attenborough considers Earth's capacity to support human habitation, and reaches the grim conclusion that crises loom—including widespread starvation and thirst—if population and consumption rates continue at their current rates. Water shortages and unsustainable agricultural policies, combined with alarming birth statistics, point toward eventual global disaster, since a planet that supported 2.5 billion humans in the middle of the 20th century now must accommodate 7 billion (likely to reach 9 billion by 2050). Most of the growth is in less developed areas worldwide, where experts predict great demands on water and food supplies as developing nations strain to catch up with richer countries that continue to devour ever more resources. Writer-director Helen Shariatmadari supplements Attenborough's observations with commentary from economists, conservationists, statisticians, and others, with some glimpses of hope offered from unexpected places, such as the Indian state of Kerala, where the population is dense but stable, and helpful policies—including birth control and improved access to education— are in place. “Can our intelligence save us?” Attenborough asks, and his tentative response is “I hope so.” Offering a powerful warning for the near future, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Gardner)
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?
(2009) 52 min. DVD: $169.95. Films Media Group. PPR. Closed captioned. ISBN: 978-1-61616-685-4. Volume 26, Issue 4
How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?
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