The answer lies in mathematics, logic, finite resources and human nature.
Those scientists you refer to as luddites and similar put downs are right imo.
It will prove impossible or globally damaging to try to lift third world living standards to western affluence ... do the maths on a 350 mill population in the US and 1600 ? mill population in China. Per capita energy consumption is 10 x higher in the US than China.
Add in all other developing nations and resource wars will be amongst us within 20-30 yrs imo.
If we are to be globally eglitarian and realistic, declining affluence in the west will meet rising affluence from the BRIC nations imo.
