To determine the Earth's capacity, a number of factors are important. Earth is like an (eco)system with energy supply from the sun. We can estimate how much energy comes to Earth from the sun and what part of it we can capture in various forms. What part of that energy is needed by oxygen-producing nature to maintain oxygen levels? What part of this energy do we need for the other processes that are vital to sustain humanity and nature? And how much energy is then left to establish a sustainable society? This could give an estimate of the maximum number of people who could live on this earth. However, this addresses only one of the underlying questions. When determining the earth's capacity, for example, the influence of climate change, biodiversity, but also social processes, organisation of society and differences in it between countries, and organisation of the living environment must also be considered. Finally, there are also other limiting factors, such as the availability of drinking water, raw materials and food.
Connecting character
New insights into the aforementioned influencing processes can be used to guide technological developments, for instance in the field of global food security. This also influences the economy. Political choices and international relations also have a strong influence on the answer to the question. Understanding these dependencies requires new knowledge from the social sciences and humanities.
