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John Holdren

John Holdren Biography

Professor

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“We are not, of course, optimistic about our chances of success. Some form of ecocatastrophe, if not thermonuclear war, seems almost certain to overtake us before the end of the century. (The inability to forecast exactly which one - whether plague, famine, the poisoning of the oceans, drastic climatic change, or some disaster entirely unforeseen - is hardly grounds for complacency.)”

IfsWarEndsSeemsFormCertainCoursesChanceCenturyOceanDisasterOptimisticInabilityPlagueComplacencyFamineNuclear WarPoisoningForecastsDrasticUnforeseen
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“A massive campaign must be launched to restore a high-quality environment in North America and to de-develop the United States...De-development means bringing our economic system (especially patterns of consumption) into line with the realities of ecology and the global resource situation...Redistribution of wealth both within and among nations is absolutely essential, if a decent life is to be provided for every human being.”

IfsHumansMeanStatesRealityAmericaLife IsNationsLinesWealthHuman BeingsUnitedQualitySituationUnited StatesEnvironmentEconomicDevelopmentEssentialsResourcesClimate ChangePatternsCampaignsDecentGlobal WarmingMassiveConsumptionEcologyNorth AmericaEconomic SystemsHigh QualityRedistribution Of WealthDecent Life
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“There exists ample authority under which population growth could be regulated...It has been concluded that compulsory population-control laws, even including laws requiring compulsory abortion, could be sustained under the existing Constitution if the population crisis became sufficiently severe to endanger the society.”

IfsHas BeensLawGrowthAuthorityConstitutionCrisisClimate ChangeIncludingPopulationAbortionGlobal WarmingSevereCompulsoryPopulation GrowthPopulation Control
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“The Planetary Regime might be given responsibility for determining the optimum population for the world and for each region and for arbitrating various countries’ shares within their regional limits. Control of population size might remain the responsibility of each government, but the Regime would have some power to enforce the agreed limits.”

WorldCountryGovernmentMightGivenResponsibilityShareLimitsSizePopulationVariousRegionsRegimesOptimumDepopulationAgenda 21Czars
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“The development of a long-term sterilizing capsule that could be implanted under the skin and removed when pregnancy is desired opens additional possibilities for coercive fertility control. The capsule could be implanted at puberty and might be removable, with official permission, for a limited number of births.”

LongMightTermNumbersPossibilityDevelopmentBirthSkinsPopulationLong TermOfficialsPregnancyElitesPermissionReducingPubertyFertilityPopulation ControlDepopulation
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“Humanity cannot afford to muddle through the rest of the twentieth century; the risks are too great, and the stakes are too high. This may be the last opportunity to choose our own and our descendants’ destiny. Failing to choose or making the wrong choices may lead to catastrophe. But it must never be forgotten that the right choices could lead to a much better world.”

WorldMayLastsHumanityChoicesOpportunityDestinyFailingRiskCenturyForgottenStakesCatastropheTwentieth CenturyDescendantsRight ChoicesWrong ChoicesMuddle
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“Reliable and affordable energy is essential for meeting basic human needs and fueling economic growth, but many of the most difficult and dangerous environmental problems at every level of economic development arise from the harvesting, transport, processing, and conversion of energy”

NeedsHumansProblemEnergyDifficultGrowthLevelsEconomicDangerousDevelopmentEssentialsMeetingsEnvironmentalConversionAriseEconomic GrowthAffordableTransportProcessingEconomic DevelopmentHuman NeedsEnvironmental ProblemsBasic Human Needs
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“If some individuals contribute to general social deterioration by overproducing children, and if the need is compelling, they can be required by law to exercise reproductive responsibility — just as they can be required to exercise responsibility in their resource-consumption patterns — providing they are not denied equal protection”

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“Only one rational path is open to us - simultaneous de-development of the [overdeveloped countries] and semi-development of the underdeveloped countries (UDCs), in order to approach a decent and ecologically sustainable standard of living for all in between. By de-development we mean lower per-capita energy consumption, fewer gadgets, and the abolition of planned obsolescence.”

MeanCountryOrderEnergyPathDevelopmentApproachStandardsRationalDecentFewerConsumptionAbolitionStandards Of LivingGadgetsSimultaneousObsolescenceUnderdeveloped CountriesEnergy ConsumptionPlanned Obsolescence
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“The need for de-development presents our economists with a major challenge. They must design a stable, low-consumption economy in which there is a much more equitable distribution of wealth than in the present one. Redistribution of wealth both within and among nations is absolutely essential if a decent life is to be provided for every human being.”

IfsNeedsHumansLife IsNationsChallengesWealthHuman BeingsEconomyDesignDevelopmentEssentialsMajorsLowsDecentStableConsumptionEconomistDistributionEquitableDistribution Of WealthRedistribution Of WealthDecent Life
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