120: Inflation, Covid, China & Crypto - looking back on 2021 and forward to 2022

<p>2021 saw accelerating inflation in advanced economies, the pandemic continuing, cracks appearing in the Chinese economic model, and massive price growth in cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Economics Explored host Gene Tunny discusses the big issues of 2021 and looks forward to 2022 with frequent guest Tim Hughes. </p><p>The episode also features discussion on the COP26 climate change summit, the idea of “degrowth” advanced by some ecologists and environmentalists, and feedback on EP115 on the Opioid Crisis and the War on Drugs.  </p><h3>Links relevant to the conversation</h3><p><a href="https://economicsexplored.com/2021/12/31/crazy-crypto-charts/" target="_blank">Crazy Crypto charts</a> Gene refers to in the episode</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/australias-largest-bitcoin-mine-will-be-powered-by-renewable-energy-the-executives-building-it-hope-bitcoin-mining-can-lead-the-world-on-decarbonisation" target="_blank">Australia’s largest bitcoin mine hopes to utilise unused renewable energy and lead the world on decarbonisation</a></p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59713503" target="_blank">Covid: Dutch go into Christmas lockdown over Omicron wave</a></p><p><a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/who-forecasts-coronavirus-pandemic-will-end-in-2022/">WHO forecasts coronavirus pandemic will end in 2022</a></p><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/c931f98a-5030-4c78-a5c0-97fe80faca31" target="_blank">China struggles to shrug off weak consumer spending and property woes </a></p><p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/rates-bonds/china-evergrande-reports-progress-resuming-home-deliveries-2021-12-26/" target="_blank">China Evergrande reports progress in resuming home deliveries</a></p><p><a href="https://theconversation.com/life-in-a-degrowth-economy-and-why-you-might-actually-enjoy-it-32224" target="_blank">Life in a ‘degrowth’ economy, and why you might actually enjoy it</a></p><p><a href="https://economicsexplored.com/2021/11/27/ep115-the-opioid-crisis-and-the-war-on-drugs/" targ