When people ask me what was the most important news of 2015, my answer is that — aside from the global rise of Islamic State terrorism — it was several things that in some cases barely made headlines.
Here they go:
First, the recently signed Paris climate accord, which for the first time committed the United States, China and nearly 200 other nations to limit their greenhouse gas emissions and take other measures to fight global warming.
The deal made big headlines around the world, but drew less attention in the United States, where part of the population — led by Republican presidential candidates and congress members — dismisses climate change as a liberal fabrication. While some countries may not fully comply with it, the deal may have marked a turning point in the history of the global climate crisis.
Second, the collapse of oil prices, which hit their lowest levels in seven years in 2015, leading to widespread speculation that we are heading toward “the end of oil.” A global oil supply glut, new technologies to produce green energy, and the Paris climate accord to reduce long-term oil production, among other factors, suggest that we may see a steady — perhaps permanent — decline of oil prices.
Plummeting oil prices are already causing economic havoc in Venezuela, Russia, Saudi Arabia and other oil producers, and may permanently erode the previous diplomatic clout of authoritarian petro-states.
Third, Uber — the smart phone application that matches people who need a car ride with private car owners
