2052

More about the book

What we want the world to be like in forty years. But what do we know about what the world will actually be like in forty years? That is the question Jorgen Randers tries to answer in 2052. Forty years ago, Randers was one of the coauthors of The Limits to Growth, a study addressed the grand question of how humans would adapt to the physical limitations of planet Earth while in pursuit of limitless growth. In 2052, Randers draws on his own experience in the sustainability arena, global forecasting tools, and the predictions-included in the book-of more than thirty leading scientists, economists, futurists, and other thinkers to guide us through the future he feels is most likely to emerge. This glimpse of the future asks: How many people will the planet need to support? Will there be enough food and energy? Will the belief in endless growth crumble? Will the shift to Chinese economic superiority be peaceful? Will the race toward renewables succeed? Will runaway climate change have taken hold? Where will quality of life improve, and where will it decline? These questions, and others, are deftly probed by an incisive, humane, and skilled look at the future before us, and offer some surprising answers.