[Grammar] in or within?

[Snappy]

I understand that "so and so will happen in a few years" (which means so and so will happen with after a few years pass) is different from "so and so will happen within a few years."

It seems to be that the above rule does not apply to the following sentence.
"Decisions we make in the coming years will
profoundly affect the natural world."

Does the above sentence mean "decisions we make with an elapse of the coming years" or "within the coming years."?

 

[sarat_106]

I understand that "so and so will happen in a few years" (which means so and so will happen with after a few years pass) is different from "so and so will happen within a few years."

It seems to be that the above rule does not apply to the following sentence.
"Decisions we make in the coming years will
profoundly affect the natural world."

Does the above sentence mean "decisions we make with an elapse of the coming years" or "within the coming years."?

It does not mean so. Let us try to understand the basic difference
in a few years = during a few years time.
within a few years = not further than a few years time


in the coming years = during (whole of the period of)the coming years