Life-history theory and climate change: resolving population and parental investment paradoxes.

ABSTRACT: Population growth in the next half-century is on pace to raise global carbon emissions by half. Carbon emissions are associated with fertility as a by-product of somatic and parental investment, which is predicted to involve time orientation/preference as a mediating psychological mechanism. Here, we draw upon life-history theory (LHT) to investigate associations between future orientation and fertility, and their impacts on carbon emissions. We argue 'K-strategy' life history (LH) in high-income countries has resulted in parental investment behaviours involving future orientation that, paradoxically, promote unsustainable carbon emissions, thereby lowering the Earth's K or carrying capacity. Increasing the rate of approach towards this capacity are 'r-strategy' LHs in

SUBMITTER: Caudell M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5180129 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature