Futurism

Due to my increasing fascination for the genre of the paranormal, I have encountered a variety of futuristic ideas. The latest book in my library bag, "Hidden", by Eve Kenin, has a scenario describing a world where a virus has been purposefully released into the general population in order to cut down the population of a certain type of human. People all over the world have become paranoid about viruses since the population was hit by a big one, and the world is divided into three large super dominions. There are scientists who have perfected genetic research to the point where it is possible to breed people who heal themselves from wounds in the time it takes to tie a shoelace. Of course they are few far between, and are being chased by the ones with power so that they can be controlled.
It was this sort of post apocalyptic scenario which sparked off a thought. Why do so many authors believe that there will be a dire future for the world?
There is a sort of fear that is sprung from all of the predictions made by the scientific community about the effect that global warming will have on the future. It all makes one feel a little bit powerless, especially when combined with the feeling that one gets after seeing world leaders bargaining with each other over who has to cut down the most carbon production.
What sort of future can we have when there is no agreement on the important things?
I, like a lot of people, sublimate my fear by looking for ways to to control my own carbon production, cutting down on beef products consumed, being a fanatical recycler, buying local produce etc. If I am the only one ding this, it doesn't really matter, because in the end, I can only control my own actions, and that's my strategy for controlling my fear.