I have made a few predictions over the years. I guess that’s what comes of naming the site 2045. So I thought I’d see how things are panning out
Climate change
Climate it’s all hitting the fan
I can’t really claim this as my prediction, because I simply quoted James Lovelock’s prediction. He said in 2008 “Enjoy life while you can. Because if you’re lucky, it’s going to be 20 years before it hits the fan.”
Well, it’s now 18 years later.
The last three years were the world’s warmest ever recorded, bringing the planet closer to breaching international climate targets.
Despite natural cooling from La Niña, 2025 was still much warmer than temperatures even a decade ago, as humanity’s carbon emissions continue to heat the planet.
(2026–7 is an El Niño year having a warming effect.)
It was the warmest year on record for ocean heat content and one of the largest year-over-year increases in ocean heat content. In 2025, the oceans added 39 times more heat than all annual human energy use.
It continues!
The UK
England – the view from Cornwall
This is a fictional story based in 2045 (an interesting year). It looks back to 2030 when a Celtic alliance was formed.
But we have this published in September 2026
Never before have three of the four “nations” of the United Kingdom jointly demanded freedom to vote for its dissolution. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have lost confidence in England. They declared in Cardiff that the unionist government at Westminster is “coming to an end”.
It begins!
Accountability.
Back in 2021 I said that fining corporations was ludicrous and that jail sentences for the management in charge were more appropriate.
In September 2026, Ben Maguire, North Cornwall’s (and my) MP agrees.
Ben’s call goes further than a review of the ratings system. He wants South West Water bosses held properly accountable for the company’s failures, including, he says, through prison sentences.
“My constituents just do not have confidence in a system that is failing to properly protect their health, which is why I’ve now called for complete and urgent reform of the water sector, and for South West Water bosses to be held properly accountable for their failures, including through prison sentences.”
Will it happen?
AI
New problems with AI are emerging almost every day. When I wrote this piece a year ago, the main issue (in my eyes) was the effect on employment. Perhaps there are greater threats now, but as regards employment:
How AI Will Replace White Collar Jobs by 2030
One in three UK employers have cut entry-level jobs, survey shows
LONDON, 26 Aug (Reuters) – Over a third of British employers have reduced the number of entry-level jobs open to younger workers over the past year due in part to increased use of artificial intelligence and other forms ofautomation, a survey showed on Wednesday.
Almost half of larger employers said they had fewer vacancies than a year ago, according to the survey for Lancaster University’s Work Foundation.
We are in the “Quiet Cull” phase.