World News and Trends: World Sets Good and Bad Records in 1995
The world set both good and bad records in 1995, according to the Worldwatch Institute's annual report, "Vital Signs 1996."
The report focuses strongly on what the institute sees as evidence of worsening global climate problems, including grain shortages, mounting insurance claims and anticipated rising food prices.
"In an era of high technology, humanity is suddenly struggling in 1996 with one of the most ancient of challenges: how to make it to the next harvest," warns Lester Brown, leader of the environmental research group for the last two decades.
Citing statistics from both government and private sources, the institute reports records in 1995 for several factors central to human welfare:
The global grain harvest was the worst since 1988, and world grain reserves-the amount of grain available to humanity if all grain production ceased-reached an all-time low of only 48 days' consumption.
World meat production reached a new high, putting even greater pressure on grain production. Meat consumption continues to grow in Asia, where population growth and prosperity are bringing rapid increases in demand.
Insurance companies paid out $48 billion for weather-related damage in the first half of the 1990s, compared to $16 billion for the entire decade of the 1980s.
A record 4.7 million people contracted HIV infections, with most new cases appearing in Asia.
A record 6.1 billion tons of fossil fuels was consumed, in spite of international agreements to limit carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
The world population continued to set new records, increasing by 87 million to 5.732 billion total. The population of developing nations increased by more than 80 million.
The global climate was the warmest since systematic records began to be kept 130 years ago. The average worldwide temperature hit 59.70 degrees Fahrenheit (15.39 degrees Celsius).
Positive developments cited in the report included a 2 percent increase in average annual personal income, to about $3,500 per person worldwide. The report also noted the spread of democracy, citing several countries that held their first elections or made significant movements toward democracy. (Source: The Associated Press.)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: July - August 1996
Course Content
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
Scott Ashley
Scott Ashley was managing editor of Beyond Today magazine, United Church of God booklets and its printed Bible Study Course until his retirement in 2023. He also pastored three congregations in Colorado for 10 years from 2011-2021. He and his wife, Connie, live near Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Ashley attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, graduating in 1976 with a theology major and minors in journalism and speech. It was there that he first became interested in publishing, an industry in which he worked for 50 years.
During his career, he has worked for several publishing companies in various capacities. He was employed by the United Church of God from 1995-2023, overseeing the planning, writing, editing, reviewing and production of Beyond Today magazine, several dozen booklets/study guides and a Bible study course covering major biblical teachings. His special interests are the Bible, archaeology, biblical culture, history and the Middle East.
