Letter offered only speculation about motives, hidden agendas

By Letter to the Editor on May 25, 2019.

Re: “Climate control, then and now,” May 10

In a recent letter, Lynn Thacker points an accusing climate-skeptic finger to a new target: The Club of Rome.

Sadly, instead of information, Thacker offers only speculation about motives and hidden agendas. There is no mention of the critically important ideas advanced by this group of social scientists, economists and industrialists for the past fifty years.

As an antidote to Thacker’s charges, I offer a brief exploration of the findings and impact of the Club of Rome’s research program. Consider its first publication, “The Limits to Growth,” which has sold 30 million copies since appearing in 1972. Why? What does it say?

In summary, “The Limits to Growth” presents computer modelling which suggests that “the earth probably cannot support present rates of economic and population growth much beyond the year 2100, if that long, even with advancing technology” (clubofrome.org). Continued exponential growth in five areas (population, agricultural production, non-renewable resource supply, industrial output, and pollution) would, according to the models, most likely result in sudden and overwhelming collapse of all these systems in the relatively near future.

More positively, the same study found that a sustainable society might be possible under certain conditions. Humanity could choose to limit economic and population growth and thereby balance population with production of material goods.

“The Limits to Growth” was initially subject to intense criticism from a variety of sources: religious, economic, political, and scientific. The adequacy of computer modelling at the heart of the study was questioned. Subsequent follow-up research has addressed many of these criticisms, but the overall conclusions have not changed.

Instead, we now have over 40 years of additional evidence reinforcing concerns raised in “The Limits to Growth.” Many of the dire consequences foreseen in 1972 no longer are just gloomy possibilities. They are in fact occurring.

Governments have chosen to continue their obsessive pursuit of economic growth. Social and economic inequality continues to increase along with global population. Natural systems are deteriorating at an increasing rate, while the effects of climate change magnify costs and impacts. Concrete action to address these concerns is far too limited to be effective.

“The Limits to Growth” is non-technical, easy to read, and disturbing to ponder. It is freely available online. Updates and a number of other Club of Rome reports about how to move toward a sustainable society are available from libraries and internet booksellers.

I challenge Lynn Thacker, and other climate skeptics, to spend time reading and thoughtfully considering the content of these documents. That would, I believe, be more productive than writing letters which distort history to suit particular economic and political beliefs.

David Gue

Medicine Hat

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