The Conjunction of Threats to Regional Food Production: How Serious Are Environment, Economy, Population and Climate?

  • David Norse
Conference paper
Part of the NATO ASI Series book series (volume 37)

Abstract

Environmental degradation, economic growth, the population ‘explosion’ and climate change have been put forward as major ongoing or potential threats to developing region or global food security (Brown and Kane, 1994; Doos, 1994; Fischer et al, 1994). Much of the evidence for such views comes from the extrapolation of local or sub-regional measurements and analyses, and commonly involves the application of computer models that, although numerically complex, tend to be functionally simplistic in terms of their ability to represent natural processes and economic systems. Can we, therefore, be any more confident in these prognoses than those made 200 or 20 years ago? They have proved to be too pessimistic, because of their absolute or relative neglect of key factors like technology and external trade in food (Malthus, 1798; Carson, 1962; Meadows et al, 1972; IFPRI, 1987; U.S. Council on Environmental Quality, 1982)

Keywords

Food Security Soil Erosion Food Production Food Insecurity Environmental Degradation 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1996

Authors and Affiliations

  • David Norse
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of GeographyUniversity College LondonLondonUK

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