The Limits to Growth (1972) is a report published by MIT researchers at the request of the Club of Rome.

 

The Limits to Growth (1972) is a report published by MIT researchers at the request of the Club of Rome. It modeled the interrelationships between population, industry, food production, resources, and pollution, warning of the dangers of infinite growth on a finite planet. Simulations predicted that if current growth trends continued, a major societal collapse could occur by the mid-21st century. The report argued that technological innovation alone would not solve the problem, and called for controlled growth and a reassessment of resource allocation. Initially met with skepticism, it has been re-evaluated in recent years, with its predictions gaining renewed attention. Today, it is seen as a foundational work in sustainability and degrowth thought, marking a turning point in questioning the very idea of growth itself.