Beyond the Limits: Confronting Global Collapse, Envisioning a Sustainable Future [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

 In Beyond the Limits the authors want to show that the passage of time and the continuation of many growth trends have brought human society to a new position relative to its limits. By using the computer model WORLD 3 and modifying its key variables, the authors are able to project a variety of future scenarios of the possible state of the world. With the outcome of the scenarios, the authors warn of the rapid and uncontrolled decline of food production, industrial capacity and life expectancy. Although the results of the scenarios seem to be a prediction of doom, the authors just want to recommend that society follow a different path.

The book is very impressive, because by simplifying complex facts, the authors manage to show the state of the earth in terms of population growth, natural resources, and pollution.

But the book is also very frustrating, because it shows clearly that the world will soon reach its limits, if the exponential growth of population, resource use and pollution continues. Nevertheless, the book succeeds in sensitizing the reader and making him/her conscious of the need for action. I hope that this book will reach a wide range of readers.

 The book Beyond the Limits was quite interesting to read. It enables the reader to become aware of the upcoming global collapse and to start thinking about ...our future. But personally, I believe that most people do not consider the need for the so-called 'sustainability revolution', because they are too busy with their own everyday life and future. Humankind is probably too selfish and power-driven to promote the development towards a sustainable future for everybody. Only if one's own personal future or environment is endangered, will one think about mechanisms to save it.

 In my opinion, this book should be compulsory reading for everybody. At first glance it appears quite pessimistic, but when one goes deeper into the book's contents, the pessimistic view turns out to be an optimistic one, but optimistic only if the reader is prepared to change things in order to contribute to a better environment. People have the tendency to have to be shown worst cases before they wake up.

I very much like the authors' intention not to 'sell' the reader instructions for creating a better environment. Instead, the book stresses the fact that every single person has to start taking responsibility for him/herself.

 This is an astonishing book about dangers in the future but also about the possibilities and opportunities humankind has to challenge the future. ...Although the scenarios the authors show are not very optimistic, their purpose is to give hope that humankind will be able to avoid the end of the world. This becomes evident in the last chapter, which is kind of sentimental, quite unrealistic and resembles the messages of the late 60's and 70's: love, peace and harmony. (Dies ist eine Amazon.de an der Uni-Studentenrezension.)

In Beyond the Limits the authors want to show that the passage of time and the continuation of many growth trends have brought human society to a new position relative to its limits. By using the computer model WORLD 3 and modifying its key variables, the authors are able to project a variety of future scenarios of the possible state of the world. With the outcome of the scenarios, the authors warn of the rapid and uncontrolled decline of food production, industrial capacity and life expectancy. Although the results of the scenarios seem to be a prediction of doom, the authors just want to recommend that society follow a different path.

The book is very impressive, because by simplifying complex facts, the authors manage to show the state of the earth in terms of population growth, natural resources, and pollution.

But the book is also very frustrating, because it shows clearly that the world will soon reach its limits, if the exponential growth of population, resource use and pollution continues. Nevertheless, the book succeeds in sensitizing the reader and making him/her conscious of the need for action. I hope that this book will reach a wide range of readers.

The book Beyond the Limits was quite interesting to read. It enables the reader to become aware of the upcoming global collapse and to start thinking about ...our future. But personally, I believe that most people do not consider the need for the so-called sustainability revolution, because they are too busy with their own everyday life and future. Humankind is probably too selfish and power-driven to promote the development towards a sustainable future for everybody. Only if one's own personal future or environment is endangered, will one think about mechanisms to save it.

In my opinion, this book should be compulsory reading for everybody. At first glance it appears quite pessimistic, but when one goes deeper into the book's contents, the pessimistic view turns out to be an optimistic one, but optimistic only if the reader is prepared to change things in order to contribute to a better environment. People have the tendency to have to be shown worst cases before they wake up.

I very much like the authors' intention not to 'sell' the reader instructions for creating a better environment. Instead, the book stresses the fact that every single person has to start taking responsibility for him/herself.

This is an astonishing book about dangers in the future but also about the possibilities and opportunities humankind has to challenge the future. ...Although the scenarios the authors show are not very optimistic, their purpose is to give hope that humankind will be able to avoid the end of the world. This becomes evident in the last chapter, which is kind of sentimental, quite unrealistic and resembles the messages of the late 60's and 70's: love, peace and harmony. (Dies ist eine Amazon.de an der Uni-Studentenrezension.)