The contents of "Miracles of Hope: Surviving and Thriving in the 21st Century"
clearly and comprehensively reflect on key issues in
modern biodiversity and environmental conservation
and offer food for thought to address these issues in an attempt to
'leave our children a living planet'.
[Comment from Dr Rob Little, Director: Conservation, WWF South Africa]

Carole Knight, author of "Miracles of Hope" and Article 13 associate, has kindly given permission for serialisation of her book on our website.  The book will be released in four instalments between now and December 2008 and members of our wide networks will be notified by means of our regular e-newsletter.

Why was this book written?

There is no more important issue of our time than that of global survival. It is a subject that is engaging the deep concern of the majority of world citizens, for our existence on this planet is determined by a finite set of boundaries. The Earth’s mean temperature, the composition of its atmosphere, the quantity and quality of its available freshwater, the health of its sea and soil – these are some of the crucial factors that will determine whether we are able to survive as a species on this planet or not.

We do not know the boundaries of our survival. We do not know how much pollution the Earth’s atmosphere can absorb before a greenhouse effect of blistering proportions makes the Earth uninhabitable for its entire species. We do not know at what ratio of Net Primary Productivity a global Malthusian famine will result. We do not know what human population figure will exceed the carrying capacity of our planet. And yet with many of our activities and technologies we are pushing the envelope of our survival towards a catastrophic point of no return. We are seemingly hell-bent on playing Russian roulette with our future.

However all is not blackness and despair. Underlying the negativity is a significant shift in human consciousness that is taking place in the hearts and minds of people everywhere, providing a miracle of hope for our universal tomorrow: with every quantum leap of intelligence, every decision of grace and unselfishness, every act of compassion and human kindness, every undertaking of vision and determination that is taking place in human affairs across the globe providing a beacon of hope for the future and it is this miraculous transformation that is what this book is about. It is about our capacity to rectify things if we can just have the time, wisdom, knowledge and will to do so.

Sigmund Freud stated, “Human character is now Earth’s destiny”. If we are to survive as a species the boundaries of our survival may not be breached. It is up to us now. There is no more time left. Our ecological backs are against the wall. The decisions and actions we take in the time ahead will determine our future. Hopefully this book will play a part in becoming a one-stop human wake-up call so that we CAN survive and beyond that, thrive, in the 21st Century. Please read the book and tell your friends about it in order to “spread the word”.

About the author

Carole Knight, author of "Miracles of Hope", is an Article 13 associate and founder of White Rock Enterprises, a group that provides expertise in publishing, communications and leadership development.

Carole Knight is a wordsmith who is equally at home with both the written and spoken word. As a writer she specialises in large, prestigious, researched features ranging from a double-broadsheet wall chart on drug awareness, which was published as a social responsibility initiative, to broadsheet features focusing on sustainability issues such as food and energy security.

Profiles on such South African illuminati as past President Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, President Thabo Mbeki and the late industrialist Dr Anton Rupert, which were published across all major national Independent Newspapers’ titles, constitute a body of work that she is particularly proud of. Whilst her book “Miracles of Hope: Surviving and Thriving in the 21st Century” and her Cape Argus Sustainability Series reflect her particular interest in and passion for social and environmental issues.

As a futurist specialising in the arena of emerging realities, Carole is one of the most powerful and influential female professional speakers in South Africa today. Her unique podium presence and exceptional knowledge base have combined to make her a sought-after speaker at many prestigious international and national conferences such as the pre-Beijing United Nations Conference for Women, an international cardiologists conference, a top-level South African Police Services conference and the National Research Foundation’s Thrip (Technology and Human Resources for Industry) Programme.

Extract from the Foreword by Dr Ian Player...

Carole Knight's book brings our attention to all the problems of "blackness and despair" that prevail in the 21st Century. We ignore them at our peril but we must hold onto the bee of hope.  Carole Knight deals with both and in bringing information from a huge field of research; the book makes us ponder about the fate of the earth and all its inhabitants including ourselves. This is a book that all people can profitably read - both scientists and lay people alike.

Delve into "Miracles of Hope: Surviving and Thriving in the 21st Century" today...

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