Malthus Enigma: Technology, Science, and Policy for a Fragile Earth

Event Synopsis

With stable climates and global ecosystems in peril, Malthus’ proverbial predicament is as important as ever: How do we sustain a growing population within the carrying capacity of the Earth? Attempting to answer this question reveals an enigma. The more we succeed in overcoming Malthusian struggle, the more it comes back to bite us.

Malthus Enigma weaves together the evolution of technology, episodes of scientific discovery and the challenges of policymaking to tell a balanced story, with struggle and hope, of humanity potentially prospering within resource and environmental constraints. The roots of the modern sustainability-focused fields of ecological economics and industrial ecology are explained, connecting them to broader historical developments in science and the environment.

Speaker

Prof Christopher Kennedy has spent a 30-year career working on the world’s toughest environment challenges from climate change to biodiversity loss. He has been a consultant to several national governments and international institutions on sustainability issues. Chris is a Professor of Industrial Ecology at the University of Victoria in British Columbia.