I am a catastrophist. Pessimism is my favourite position. Climate change, biodiversity loss, agriculture, food security. Right-wing populism, social media, AI. The future of the BBC . . . All and more are, I feel, heading in a bad direction.<\/p>\n
AI is the concern of the moment. It seems it may render humanity extinct in the not far distant future. Or, at least, everyone will be out of a job. My position on this is on hold. I don\u2019t know enough to know. However, I note that it is being pushed by its billionaire owners, so that\u2019s a clue.<\/p>\n
I do know something about climate change and food security, however, having worked on both. The others, I have the knowledge of any informed lay-person who keeps up with the news and comment \u2013 the BBC, the Guardian and New Scientist mostly. There\u2019s a different clue.<\/p>\n
Climate change is the number one issue. It will lead to further loss of biodiversity, global food insecurity, conflict (including from mass migration) and calamitous disruption of the global and national economies. There is no chance that governments will agree to the measures necessary to stop the global temperature rising before the damage is done \u2013 and by then it will be too late. Too late for mitigation and, for most, for adaptation.<\/p>\n
Global food insecurity follows from climate change because agriculture depends on the weather. Drought, floods, storms, heat \u2013 all set to increase \u2013 will make farming and food production increasingly difficult, both regionally and globally. A collapse in food production will lead to famine, forced migration and conflict.<\/p>\n
Loss of biodiversity \u2013 the variety, abundance and genetic variability of living things – will not just mean the end of iconic species and ecosystems such as tigers and the Serengeti. It will lead to the deterioration and collapse of agriculture and the range of \u2018ecosystem services\u2019 that living nature provides and on which we depend \u2013 pollination, productive soil, food, clean air and water.<\/p>\n
Global and national governance are being attacked by right wing populists from Trump to Reform to those who have been let down by liberal market capitalism or those for whom social change has just been too fast. Social media serve(s) \u2013 deliberately or through enabling \u2018free speech\u2019 without accountability \u2013 to undermine the shared values fundamental to a fair-functioning society, including to the functioning of democracy.<\/p>\n
Then of course, more immediately, there\u2019s not only Trump but also Putin, Netanyahu, the IRGC (Iran), China (?), the tech bros., those who control global trade and finance.<\/p>\n
And then there\u2019s the future of the BBC . . .<\/p>\n
KB<\/p>\n
23.10.26<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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