Our civilization, at a global level, is at a crossroads. It is more of a "T" junction, and it is probably the most important one we will face.
Civilizations can be classified in types. If you like reading about science, cosmology specifically, you have probably already heard of these types. Each successive type of civilization can harness more and more of the energy that is available to them. A quick overview of the different types can be found here.
At present we would be considered a Type 0 civilization. For all of our advancements we are still in our infancy, we haven't even reached our first great milestone. The next 100 years will arguably be the most defining for us, and decide whether we emerge to become a Type 1 civilization or not.
Human civilization has been steadily making it's march towards Type 1 status. The last 100 years have seen us make great strides, however, for all the progress we have made there are obstacles that may prove fatal. That is why I suggest that we are at a crossroads. We can turn in one of two directions and each will have very different consequences.
Option 1
Let us think of this crossroads like a "T" junction and suppose we turn right. Down this path we find that the next 20 to 30 years aren't much different from what we see today; however, we have made some bad choices.
Fast forward 100 years from now, we have opted to not listen to the warnings from our scientific community. We have pumped more and more greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere. We continue to consume resources without any regard for preservation. We are now at a point where fixing that problem is no longer going to be an option.
Socially, we have continued down a path of further division. Rather than coming together and building a unified world economy, we have further isolated ourselves from each other, pitted ourselves against each other in an effort to preserve our little slice of this planet. We have let our differences in ideology drive even more division and wars. Nationalistic and racist tendencies have created factions that no longer know how to come together and compromise.
This is a truly bleak situation. The ultimate outcome is one of two. Either we are pushed to extinction, or close to it, by our disregard for nature; or, due to our lack of understanding for each other, we end up in a global conflict from which we emerge having nearly, if not totally, annihilated each other.
In this scenario we do not emerge as a Type 1 civilization. At best we emerge having taken huge steps back in our advance towards it. Having to start over, our hope would be that in 200 - 300 years when we reach the crossroads again we remember enough to not make the same mistakes.
Option 2
Instead of turning right, lets suppose we turn left. If, again, we fast forward 100 years we find a completely different scenario.
Here we have opted to make changes to our lifestyles to improve our relationship with the environment. We have curbed our appetite for our natural resources, and have learned to preserve and recycle them. We can begin to see a path towards sustaining ourselves through the use of new found technologies, like more efficient use of solar, wind, tidal and tectonic energy. Fossil fuels are now a relic from our recent past.
On the social front, we have come together as a more global civilization. Although borders still exist, they are far less meaningful than before since we now see each other as a single civilization with common goals and aspirations. We have muted our ideological differences, mythologies are no longer the driving force behind our decision making process. We have managed to put our differences aside with the common goals of social and technological/scientific progress. We begin to contemplate our next big milestones of conquering our solar system and reaching for the stars.
Although very different from option one, this is no utopia. We will still have obstacles and challenges to overcome, however, they will no longer be self inflicted.
In this scenario we have truly made the transition to a Type 1 civilization. We are masters of our planet, and can begin to look towards becoming masters of our solar system.
You could say that this is all opinion, and in some respects it is. I am speculating about the future, however, can you not look at the world around us and agree that there is some sliver of truth to the scenarios I have laid out?
Our civilization will indeed have to make some very defining decisions over the next couple of decades. These decisions will have repercussions that extend beyond our lifetimes. They will certainly be ones that our descendants will not be able to undo. As our various nations, religions and ideologies drive these decisions, we should consider the profound effect these decisions may have to our civilization's future prospects.