Paul Ehrlich

World population growth will completely outstrip increases in food supply (inferred window: the following decade, to 1980).

“Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make”

Said on

1 April 1970 · Interview with Peter Collier in Mademoiselle, April 1970 (day unknown; first of month used), as quoted by Ronald Bailey in Reason. No window stated; inferred as the next ten years, the horizon he gave in the same interview.

Source

Earth Day, Then and Now · Reason

Should come true

1980s

How sure they sounded

will inevitably and completely

Categories

HealthEconomy

Importance

4 of 5 · Global food supply falling behind population would mean worldwide hunger.

Outcome

Inaccurate

Inferred window: the 1970s. Food production grew faster than population thanks to the Green Revolution, so calories available per person rose rather than falling behind.

Evidence:

• https://ourworldindata.org/food-supply
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution