Ted Turner: Adopt China's one-child policy to save planet

[marmar]

Ted Turner: Adopt China's one-child policy to save planet

By Christian Boone
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Atlanta's most unguarded tongue is at it again, telling global leaders meeting in Mexico that the rest of the world should adopt China's one-child policy, according to a Toronto newspaper.

"If we’re going to be here (as a species) 5,000 years from now, we’re not going to do it with seven billion people," CNN founder Ted Turner said Sunday at a conference discussing the impact of demographic trends on the future of greenhouse gas emission.

If such a plan was adopted, the father of five said, poor people could profit from their decision not to reproduce by selling fertility rights.

China claims its policy has resulted in 400 million fewer births since 1979, limiting emissions growth even as the country becomes more industrialized. But critics argue the mandate has contributed to more abortions and high levels of female infanticide. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.ajc.com/news/ted-turner-adopt-chinas-769292.html

[RandomThoughts]

1. Becuase rich people should have children?

LOL, that is backwards, and why through the ages, the happy people have always raised more children.

[Reacher]

2. One toke over the line,

Sweet Jesus.

[walldude]

5. Reacher?

Is that Jack Reacher?

If it is, that and the one toke quote makes you officially cool...

[OhioChick]

3. And how many kids does he have? n/t

[Maru Kitteh]

4. Exactly what I was wondering.

[OhioChick]

6. He has 5 if I remember correctly. n/t

[mike_c]

7. all personal criticism of Turner aside, he is exactly right....

Garrett Hardin knew it in 1968: http://dieoff.org/page95.htm

[nonconformist]

8. "the father of five said"

Uh, yeah.

[Juche]

9. I don't agree

Once a country obtains middle income status women stop having more than 2 kids each on average. 2.1 kids per woman is the replacement fertility rate, and once a nation becomes wealthy the rates usually drop below that. In east asian nations the fertility rate is as low as 1.3. Japan is projected to see their population decline from 130 million to 70 million over the 21st century due to this.

So overpopulation, IMO, is not a problem. Once people get $5000/yr in per capita income they stop having more than 2 kids per couple. World pop. will stabalize around 9-10 billion.

Not only that but if you stop people from having kids you also potentially stop the next generation of scientists and engineers who will solve these problems. Keeping people alive and keeping people in western lifestyles are 2 different things. It doesn't take many natural resources to keep people alive. basic nutrition, medicine and protection from physical trauma do it.

I'm sure within 100-200 years we'll figure out how to create sustainable, low pollution economies.