Averting a perfect storm of shortages

Thanks to Fred Stanback and Sonny Fox for this article from BBC News.
————————-

As the world’s population grows, competition for food, water and energy will increase. Food prices will rise, more people will go hungry, and migrants will flee the worst-affected regions.

That’s the simple idea at the heart of the warning from John Beddington, the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, of a possible crisis in 2030.

Specifically, he points to research indicating that by 2030 “a whole series of events come together”:

• The world’s population will rise from 6bn to 8bn (33%)
• Demand for food will increase by 50%
• Demand for water will increase by 30%
• Demand for energy will increase by 50%

For full article, visit:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8213884.stm