For several months now, almost all the news and commentary we receive through the media has been unpleasant and worrying. I don't want to exaggerate this view, as we also receive some pleasant and hopeful reports; but I can't forget that we have serious problems here and around the world, and what's worse, a great deal of disorientation affecting both individuals and political and economic institutions.

There is no doubt that the arrival of 2026 will be remembered for a long time as a period of worry and unrest. It goes without saying that in recent weeks we have experienced, both here and around the world, a series of events that have created significant difficulties: infrastructure damage, unexpected political clashes and actions, serious military incidents, unusual natural phenomena, public service strikes, and more. In this article, I don't want to discuss any of these, as they have already been sufficiently covered, but rather analyze a recent news story centered on the United States that I believe is very worrying for the future development of all humanity. It concerns the decision by the current US administration—that is, Mr. Trump—to eliminate the regulations established by the Obama administration regarding public policies on climate change. I believe this is one of Donald Trump's most serious and least understandable decisions, and one that deserves strong opposition from everyone.

For decades now, we have lived in societies characterized by high mobility of people and information, powerful new technological tools, rapid change, and a new relationship between ourselves and our environment. All of this creates new opportunities for progress while simultaneously generating new dangers and difficulties. It is no surprise, therefore, that there has been a significant increase in the desire to measure and publish numerical indices that portray both the positive and negative aspects of the evolution of many things. Below, I refer to a small selection of these indices that proves particularly revealing.

This week we commemorate the deaths of two individuals who have been significant figures in history, both in Catalonia and in Spain. November 20th marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Francisco Franco, and, coincidentally, November 21st marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Ernest Lluch. The former died in bed, surrounded by loved ones, after a long month of heart problems and a painful final agony. The latter died alone in a parking lot, assassinated by an ETA commando. This stark contrast is one of the contradictions, but that is not what I wish to address. Rather, I want to reflect on some aspects that arise from this coincidence.

We are experiencing a period of great disorientation in most of our societies, and this situation is jeopardizing the relative peace and progress that characterized the second half of the 20th century. We are experiencing this quite acutely, both here and around the world, and therefore there is no need to explain it again. But it is urgent to analyze its causes and take the necessary measures to avoid a truly disastrous crisis for the people who live and will live in the coming years. We have seen and will see books on this subject, but I will limit myself now to a specific perspective, as reflected in the title of this article.

For several years now, difficulties in coexistence, arguments, and conflicts of all kinds, both social and economic, have been steadily increasing across the planet, even reaching warlike proportions. During the second half of the 20th century, in a significant portion of what we considered the developed world, we experienced economically prosperous and socially peaceful conditions. It is evident that this situation has been disrupted in recent decades, and there has been a growing concern about the causes, especially those that could be corrected, as they have been the result of conscious or unconscious human actions.

For some time now, especially in recent months, we've seen news reports indicating that we are entering a new phase of humankind's life on planet Earth. Alarm bells are ringing, indicating that not only had we not anticipated the changes we needed to make in the organization of coexistence, the economy, and politics to be prepared, but now we are also failing to make the urgent decisions to address them.

Two weeks ago I expressed in these same pages my concern by the outcome of the meeting between Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen on the future of US-EU relations, an outcome she described as a clear imposition by the former, and an incredibly sad acceptance by the latter. Now that we have learned more details about the content of the agreements, I believe I was short-sighted in my prediction. We are obliged, both as European citizens and, above all, as members of the different levels of European authorities, to determine the decisions we must make to prevent the EU from continuing to backtrack on its political positions and levels of well-being, as has been happening for two or three decades now. Trump's incredible positions are making things worse, but European decisions themselves have been causing it for some time now. The world is changing, and we have failed to adapt to the new circumstances that have been created, whether economic, political, or sustainability-related.

I confess that I cannot avoid this article at the beginning of the holidays having a rather grey tone, the result of the disappointment caused by the partial knowledge and the brief analysis that I have been able to make. from the agreement a few days ago between President Trump and President Von der Leyen on the future of economic and geopolitical relations between the US and the EU. I emphasize the adjectives "partial" and "brief" because there hasn't been complete agreement in the versions of the agreements published by both sides, and because I thought that perhaps we haven't learned everything that was discussed and agreed upon—or what was left pending and hasn't been said. I also can't help but say that, if I had to summarize in two words what I believe the agreement was, they would be: "imposition" on the one hand and "acceptance" on the other. The first, having known the protagonist for several months now, didn't surprise me; but the second, knowing von der Leyen's long career, surprised me, was difficult for me to understand, and left me very dissatisfied and worried.

It is increasingly clear that we are experiencing a period of transition toward a new era in global economics and politics, a transition that is particularly affecting European countries due to the role they played throughout the last century. Initially, they were the main protagonists of two major wars, but later they became the builders of diverse societies based on two models: free-market but regulated capitalism and democratic socialism, driving the welfare state. Almost all of Europe experienced some 50 years of strong economic growth and significant social progress, notable for the consolidation of democratic systems, the expansion of redistributive tax systems that enabled, among other things, the universalization of free public education and healthcare, as well as highly beneficial pension systems.

It's no surprise that so far this year, almost all of my articles have focused on the future of the European Union. I've never hidden my deep conviction about the need for a large, united, and powerful Europe with a key role in the future of humanity. I think this is very good for Europeans, but also for the entire global population and the planet itself. I've often written that I want to talk about this because the political and economic processes we've experienced in recent years aren't taking us in the right direction. To seize the opportunities before us and achieve the goals we desire, there are necessary actions that are now, in addition to being essential, extremely urgent.

As a member of the Barcelona Society of Friends of the Country, a few days ago I attended a talk to which we invited Pere Navarro, current delegate of the Barcelona Free Trade Zone, who explained the important process of modernization and attraction of technology companies that is underway in this area, which is known as one of the centers related to artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, robotics, and cybersecurity, as well as its use in health, mobility, and other areas. It's good to be aware of what's happening. I think it could be very important for the future of the country, especially now that we are experiencing a time of great change and strong uncertainty in the economy and global politics. That's why I'm writing this article, eager to make it known.

In recent months, several individuals have played an important role in global geopolitics, having been very present in events we have experienced or even witnessed. For a few years now, Putin; for a few months now, Trump and the billionaire Musk; for a few days now, Pope Francis; and, this week, the new Pope Leo XIV. I speak of people because current information distribution systems mean that news reaches us more through them than through stories. I take this opportunity to emphasize once again that we are experiencing a radical change in our history, and I want to emphasize that these changes will mean revising the meaning of a significant number of words.

We are living, on a global scale, in a very special period, difficult to understand, full of surprises, and very worrying. The surprising decisions of the politicians who govern the most powerful states, and the indecisions in many other states, mean that we are drifting and without seeing a clear future. For months now, I have been commenting on what I think Europe's role should be in these circumstances, and now I would simply like to analyze what it could mean for us to take advantage of one of Donald Trump's recent and incomprehensible decisions. His radical change of policy in the field of science and technology is causing the expulsion of scientists and increasing great disillusionment among all those who work in the science sector in the United States. A survey of Nature A few days ago, he said that 75% of scientists are considering leaving the US. I find it hard to believe, but it paints a very serious picture. My concern stems from whether the EU, and more specifically Spain, will be able to capitalize on this huge American mistake and thus correct the policies of recent years that have caused Europe to fall further and further behind both the US and China. It seems we want to try, but it remains to be seen whether this will be as clear as they say and whether we'll know how to do it. Let's first look at where we're coming from.

We are living, on a global scale, in a very special period, difficult to understand, full of surprises, and very worrying. The surprising decisions of the politicians who govern the most powerful states, and the indecisions in many other states, mean that we are drifting and without seeing a clear future. For months now, I have been commenting on what I think Europe's role should be in these circumstances, and now I would simply like to analyze what it could mean for us to take advantage of one of Donald Trump's recent and incomprehensible decisions. His radical change of policy in the field of science and technology is causing the expulsion of scientists and increasing great disillusionment among all those who work in the science sector in the United States. A survey of Nature A few days ago, he said that 75% of scientists are considering leaving the US. I find it hard to believe, but it paints a very serious picture. My concern stems from whether the EU, and more specifically Spain, will be able to capitalize on this huge American mistake and thus correct the policies of recent years that have caused Europe to fall further and further behind both the US and China. It seems we want to try, but it remains to be seen whether this will be as clear as they say and whether we'll know how to do it. Let's first look at where we're coming from.

The events that have happened in the last two decades of the last century and the first decades of this one, and especially in recent months, have convinced me that we are entering a new era in our history. I hope it will be one of progress, and that it will allow us, or in some cases, force us, to change important aspects of our personal lives and social relations, both locally and globally. The difficulties, misunderstandings, and conflicts we are now experiencing, along with the uncertainties about the future, affect our peace of mind, make our coexistence difficult, and destroy trust in many politicians. If we do not collectively adapt to the reality of the new era, there will be no progress, and the current difficulties will only grow.

I cannot help but think, seeing the situation that has been continually reaching us in recent months from all parts of the world, that we have reason to be very concerned. But, at the same time, I also believe that we have the obligation to do, within our possibilities, something to help remedy it. Obviously, I leave aside the enormous nonsense and nonsense that the political leaders of some large countries are proud of, whose behavior only deserves total rejection from me. I wonder how so many people of different ages and social positions can support them, both in self-sufficient and democratic countries. I think that things are happening that we do not fully understand, but nevertheless I want to make some considerations that can help combat the large amount of false or manipulated information that circulates and that leads many to make emotionally intense but generally erroneous decisions. If a better diagnosis is made, remedies can begin to be proposed.

In recent weeks we have been experiencing a series of news items, most of them very worrying and some more optimistic, but all of them assure us that we are entering a new stage in Catalonia, Europe and the world. I will take four different ones, relate them and make a comment on how we should prepare for this new stage.

It seems that antivirus masks with a higher protective capacity than the current ones and, moreover, made with biodegradable materials, that is, that do not generate plastic waste, are about to be launched on the market. It is good news, which I take as an example to comment on some things that have been happening in recent months, and on which I think we should reflect.

Important and difficult days lie ahead. I think it should not take much to agree on two things: that, without sparing any effort to combat the health crisis, we must step up the fight against the economic and social crisis; and that both will require a lot of effort and a lot of economic resources.