Mr Opinion, Thanks for advising where the number came from. I've read that book and, while it's an interesting and challenging read, I don't accept that the number - any number - can be accepted without qualifications. As I wrote earlier, the planet can sustain 20 billion people if we accept a standard of living similar to the typical African or Indian level or 3 billion if we all aspire to the level enjoyed by the richest country in the world.

Bottom line however is that, regardless of whatever number experts agree upon as sustainable, national governments are going to strive to help their citizens get wealthier because that's the only way they'll get re-elected. So those of us living in the developed countries need to find the technologies that we can give to developing countries to help them lift their standards of living without doing the damage to the planet that we've done as we've reached our current high standards of living.

Dear Bernie Masters,

It's not quite that simple nor economistic as your description implies.

I see no reason to question the figure given by Diamond and from my perspective it seems to make sense.

The assertion by the Author, there is no such thing as green energy is demonstrably false!

And made because he believes? That the energy Moore was referring to was renewables?

I believe he wasn't! I believe he was referring to thorium and as a consequence of a long conversation with at least one proponent of this, green energy!? As any thinking investigator with a sound rational head on his shoulders, would!

That this Author couldn't see or know that? Speaks volumes!

Just 8 grams of thorium contains enough deliverable energy to power your house and car, plus provide all your durables for 100 years and given the mining and refining cost pertaining to 8 grams, is around $100.00?

For just one dollar a year as the supply-side cost? And without adding a single gram of carbon to the atmosphere! Even a 3 cents PKWH, there's huge profits to be made here.

Graphite cored undersea cables could carry the Green energy to any customer who could pay or it in cash or kind, anywhere!

Given we just had the intelligence and testicular fortitude, to prefer this energy source, enable a huge economic windfall and for decades!

See Thomas Jam Petersen's U tube presentation for verification of the projected numbers and Thorium V greens to see the referred, Michael Moore interview/discussion? TBC.

Take care and stay safe.
Alan B.

Mr Opinion, Really … quoting Jared Diamonds, a best selling writer of airport paperbacks that offer little other than conjecture... I would have expected more from you.

Try reading some real hard science, as opposed to "tabloid" entertainment designed to distract the minds of international flight long-distance travellers.

Diamonds ideas may be interesting and sell books... but its not hard well researched scientific endeavour and if you think it is.... " so long and thanks for all the fish" mate!

Meanwhile some perceptive writers have been making the same criticisms of the mainstream environmental movement.
Namely the ever marvelous John Steppling - see his essays featured on the Global Research and Counterpunch websites.
And Cory Morningstar via the Wrong Kind of Green website.

I see that David believes that there should be a strong connection between the church and the state.
Some/all of the Christian true believers featured on this site http://www.nobeliefs.com/nazis.htm more of less believed and promoted the same thing.
A strong leader was deemed necessary to deal with the obvious cultural disintegration of the times. Someone who was prepared to decisively deal with the communist,bolsheviks, bohemians, "deviants", free thinkers and non-conformists, gypsies and of course the "problem" of the Jews.