I forget who Simon's bet was with (Paul Erlich?), but it is undeniable that
better technology and higher relative prices can increase reserves of
non-renewable resources faster than they are depleted through the
outragious rate of consumption in rich countries.
For example, according to a textbook by Agnew and Knox, in 1975 worldwide
proven reserves of crude oil were 650 billion barrels. By 1985 they had
risen to 765 billion barrels, and by 1995 they rose to 1 trillion barrels.
Of course, the geographical distribution of oil reserves is important:
reserves in Europe and N. America were lower in 1995 than in 1975. And, as
has been mentioned, there are lots of 'externalities' involved, including
the nasty sunburn I got last week, apparently partly because there are now
more UV rays caused by ozone-depletion.
I think Hegel and Marx's distinction between barrier and limit can be
useful when thinking about nature and capitalism - very crudely, nature is
a barrier; workers and allies are a (potential) limit.
Bill
