A Short History of the Future Surviving the 2030 Spike

About this book

&i;A Short History of the Future&o; is a major update and development of the themes of the bestselling The 2030 Spike, which described the huge confluence of seven natural and human-made drivers that will converge around 2030 and wreak havoc: depleted fuel supplies, massive population growth, poverty, global climate change, famine, growing water shortages and international lawlessness.

Yet Mason is not a doom-sayer. Indeed, the three years since the first edition have seen a startling amount of change, much of it for the better (particularly in the fields of energy and communications). The main point is that humanity can save itself if we take decisive action now.

Contents

Part I: Is there a Crisis?; * The Drivers; * Running Out of Fuel: The Coming Energy Crunch; * Population and Poverty; * Climate: How Long to Tipping Point?; * Is There Enough Food and Water?; * One World?; * The Fourth Horseman; * Part II: Directions; * Which Way Science?; * In the Genes: New Plants - and People?; * The Values of the Sea; * Multinationals: Good Business or Bad?; * The Trouble with Money; * Part III: Upgrading the Individual; * The Pursuit of Happiness; * Love, Family and Freedom; * Habitat: The Dilemma of the Cities; * Making Education Work; * Health and Wealth; * Religion: The Cement of Society? * Part IV: The New Society?; * The Mechanics of Change; * Automation and Employment; * Travelling Less?; * Working Online; * The Information Overload; * The Toxic Culture; * Running the Show; * Getting the World We Want; * Index.

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Biography

Colin Mason was a senator in the Australian Federal Parliament for nine years and served on the Senate Standing Committee for Science and Environment. A well-known former foreign correspondent and broadcaster, he was also a SEATO advisor to the Thai government. Mason is the author of 12 books, including A Short History of Asia and the international best-seller Hostage.