Ingrid Bryan

Do we have the resources to produce enough food for an expected world population of over 9 billion in 2050? Are modern agricultural practices sustainable? Do we have enough fresh water? What do we understand about climate change? Can we decarbonize the world economy? Can we save the oceans? Are genetically modified crops bad for the environment? Are we entering a new era of resource wars? These are some of the questions addressed in this ambitious and comprehensive book by Ingrid Bryan.

Are We Running Out? is a book that should be on the desk of everyone interested in the state of the world’s environments. While many books deal with climate change, biodiversity, water, the food problem, very few approach the world’s environmental problems from a completely integrated perspective. The book shows how the use of resources fits into a historical continuum and how all resource use is interconnected. Ingrid Bryan compellingly argues that proper stewardship of natural resources is of planetary urgency, and unless we change we will leave a squandered, impoverished legacy for our children and grandchildren. The book is multidisciplinary, comprehensive, objective, and jargon free, and integrates the latest scientific evidence on resource use ranging from mineral resources and fossil fuels to the wider natural environment. It also provides suggestions for improvements in resource policies.