PETROLEUM MAN

Together, the 6 billion of us are bringing about enormous changes in the world -- the growing deserts, receding rain forests, eroding soils, vanishing species, and continuing shortages of food, water, and energy. With planning and forethought, we could stabilize world population at 8 billion by the year 2050. Or, without planning and forethought, we could allow population to reach 14 billion. These alternative population scenarios imply vastly different prospects for the people of the earth. For example, in terms of per capita greenhouse gas emissions 35 years from now, a smaller population growing toward 8 billion would yield about 25% less total emissions than a larger population growing toward 14 billion. This would have as much impact on carbon dioxide emissions as eliminating deforestation entirely.