Emerging South

Last Thursday, the United States government intelligence (NIC) publised a 120 page report in which it predicts the global trends in the year 2025.  The report is used to better inform US policy makers.
The report got a lot of attention in the press, especially since it paints a very bleak future for Western society. 

Personally I'm shocked of the sheer denial of the European business society on the future of this continent.  Kishore Mahbubani writes in an excellent way how catastrophic this denial will be to us (a short video of him below this post). However, he should read this other great book on the coming power struggle between India, China and Japan. 

Personally I'm a very strong believer in the future of Southern Brazil which covers an enormous area where the GDP per square kilometer is already today as big as in the US and Europe; and contrary to those European and America areas, the growth potential of this Southern Brazilian space is big.

Brazil is mentioned 33 times in the intelligence report of the US.  South Africa is only mentioned once, on page 43 where the authors mention that China, India and South Africa will be in a huge demand of nuclear power.  Not Brazil, since their electricity comes for 95% from hydro, their cars drive for a big deal on ethanol and as the report mentions Brazil's position as one of the biggest oil exporters in the world by 2020.

As to Europe, the NIC report concluded the European Union will maintain its economic clout in 2025, but internal bickering and competing national agendas will leave the EU a "hobbled giant" unable to translate its position into global influence.

My kids will be in university  in 2025.

The full report can be downloaded by clicking here.  It is a must-read.