No Limits to Growth

22nd Century Lecture Series

This presentation will address a range of forecasts, including: The widespread adoption of vertical urban agriculture will enable an area the size of Ireland to provide enough food for 10 billion people. The rewilding of vast areas of the planet will result. Forests and rain forests will re-conquer Europe, China, India, and Brazil. This will absorb 50 gigatons of carbon dioxide a year.

Artificial photosynthesis will absorb CO₂ 1,000 times faster than plant life. Engineers will develop economical ways to extract this CO₂ and combine it with hydrogen to make artificial petroleum as the feedstock for thousands of useful products (plastics, medicines, cosmetics, etc.). CO₂ will thus be recycled.

Nanotechnologies will enable the advent of energy-autonomous vehicles and buildings. Cars will be built out of buckypaper, which will also function as a hyper-efficient photovoltaic skin providing electric energy to run the car. Buildings will be outfitted with mini-depolymerization units that will convert human waste, garbage, and trash to gas to provide all the electricity, heating, and cooking the building needs.