We can easily generate more than enough renewable energy, just not when and where we need it. Being able to transmit energy over vast distances would greatly improve the economics of our existing renewable energy generation solutions.
Couldn't it also translate into a falling standard of living in developed countries as large populations of increasingly affluent people compete for the same limited resources?
It could also translate into an increased rate of extraction/depletion of natural resources, as the economic incentive grows stronger.
It ultimately needs to reach an equilibrium where a developed nation lifestyle for the entire world population would only consume natural resources at the rate that they can be replenished.
> when the developing world is developed, I suspect they also will see declining population
I suspect you are right.
What is less clear is whether earth has the resources to sustain the standard of living rising in these developing nations.
There is currently 1.2 billion people living in developed countries and 5.4 billion in developing countries. Even if the developing populations stabilise, if their standard of living increases to match that of the 1.2 billion developed population, will our natural resources and environmental systems cope?
If not, we need to work on ways to maintain a developed world standard of living without using nearly as many natural resources.
Which parts of the site do you interpret as describing "degrowth" narrative? I had a look at the solutions listed and the general theme seemed to be smarter use of existing resources and didn't really mention growth, or reducing growth.
- Producing energy using less fossil fuels, not necessarily producing less energy
- Producing food in a way that uses less fossil fuels, not producing less food.
I think what the site is saying is we depend on ecological systems and natural resources to sustain our current standard of living, but we are consuming them at a faster rate than they can replenish. We need to use the available resources more efficiently - doesn't necessarily translate to less or even slower growth though.
We can easily generate more than enough renewable energy, just not when and where we need it. Being able to transmit energy over vast distances would greatly improve the economics of our existing renewable energy generation solutions.