So… Welcome to 2012. I think the phrase “may you live in interesting times” is appropriate here. I have a feeling this year is going to be filled with many surprising turns of events. Some good, and some bad.
Of course the very word “2012” now makes everyone think of ancient Mayan calendars and the end of the world. I’m pretty sure their prediction dealt more with a great change and the end of an era than with an apocalypse, but to be honest I don’t know enough about the subject to talk with any authority. Whenever I open a book to enlighten myself I get bombarded with talk of ascension to astral planes and have to shut the book and go and have a snack to calm down. I have a suspicion that the whole concept has got rather out of hand and sensationalised. However, I do believe that having so many people expecting the extraordinary this year will create a fulfilling prophecy of sorts. I for one am expecting people to go fairly crazy on the 21st of December.
Anyway, let’s move on.
In terms of more practical issues, 2012 is another year into the future, and another year in the lives of our numerous global crises. Economic recession is apparently worse than it’s been in nearly a century, and eco-systems, cultures and the planet’s climate continue to be suffer in the name of strengthening it.
I’ll predict that this year oil prices will fluctuate more violently, and climate change will cause more cases of extreme weather events. Every problem we face will be likely to intensify.
But I also predict there will be victories. I think the solutions already being worked on will also accelerate. I think people’s attitudes will begin to shift at a greater rate than ever before. I think the growth of green industry could lead to positive turns in economy. Basically I think this year, everything will be hotting up and getting faster.
A quick look at Wikipedia tells me this year has already been named the International Year of Cooperatives and the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. That sounds promising!
I’d also like to point out two other events taking place this year:
Firstly, the Earth Summit 2012 is taking place in June and is an opportunity for world leaders to address their commitments to international sustainable development. Look at the website here. It’s very interesting and I may write a whole post about it soon.
Also, the American presidential election is this November. I think this is an event that is of importance to the whole world, not just the US, because of course America is such a global giant. It’s influence is far reaching in the extreme.
So what do you think is going to happen?
Earth Baby 