At low enough density, the screening length of a disordered interacting ele
ctron gas may become larger than its mean free path. Calculation of the con
ductivity in such a case shows a strong tendency towards the insulating sta
te in two dimensions. The compressibility being proportional to the inverse
screening length is expected to vanish as the transition to the insulating
state is approached. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.