Editorial

The year ended on a disappointing note with the abysmal failure of the climate conference in Copenhagen. It is clear that the combined world leadership is incapable of addressing the most pressing crisis facing humanity. So-called experts argue about the causes of climate change but no one can deny that it is happening.

Self interest and brinkmanship have taken over from rational thought as the earth sails towards catastrophe. A pity the leaders of China and the US did not heed Prince Charles when he said at the conference “The future of mankind can be assured only if we rediscover ways in which to live as a part of nature, not apart from her.”

Under the pervasive gloom of economic depression, climate change and world strife it is easy to become dejected at the failure of leadership on a world, national and local scale. One certainty gives us hope for change – we cannot continue as we are.

The disintegration of our belief systems may be the first step in the shift of consciousness that Judith Hoad talks about in her feature on page 12. This is the beginning of the end for a non-sustainable way of living. Like it or not the world will have to embrace a return to organic and traditional farming. It is the only form of agriculture that can supply the world with enough healthy food, address global warming and fossil fuel shortages while reversing the damage caused by industrial agriculture.

We focus on some of these issues in this edition of Organic Matters, particularly on the importance of soil biology and the role of the soil in carbon sequestration.

We wish all our readers a happy, organic and productive 2010!

Cáit Curran, editor.