In a globalized world there are several aspects which can be considered as significant threats and challenges that destabilize the status quo. The biggest threat in my opinion, which is human influenced, but at the same time, seemingly out of humanity’s control, is climate change. Climate change has many definitions and characteristics, but simply defined it is long-term changes in the climate, temperatures, and weather patterns of the planet caused primarily by global warming and human emissions of greenhouse gases. Climate change is a significant threat because it directly threatens the human way of life. Severe weather such as hurricanes can cause tremendous damage, rising temperatures can lead to droughts, and melting polar ice caps are projected to raise sea levels, with the majority of human population living within 50 miles of major bodies of water – all of these can create tremendous damage. However, to overcome something major as climate change will require cooperation of all nations focusing on bridging the gap between energy needs and sustainable clean energy. International mechanisms have been implemented, albeit slowly, such as the Paris Climate Agreement setting goals to reduce carbon emissions and global temperatures (United Nations 2021).
Another major threat to civilization is weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear arms. For decades, the worry has been that nuclear weapons will be obtained by rogue states which may lack the responsibility or control to not use them based on ideological reasoning. While that is still a major concern as North Korea is edging closer to fulfilling the technology, the recent conflict in Ukraine has shown that there are potential threats of the use of nuclear weapons from the major UN Security Council states and the possibility of another Cold War-style arms race. Nuclear weapons are dangerous not only due to their destructive force, but the stance that most nuclear states have adopted, of proportional retaliation and likely mutually assured destruction. Meaning that nuclear states will annihilate each other, and allies, while those neutral areas that will remain untouched will suffer the deadly consequences of a nuclear winter, essentially eliminating humanity. It is not yet known what will happen if a nuclear state, such as Russia uses a small tactical nuke against a third non-nuclear country, but it will in all likelihood escalate into a major nuclear conflict once that line is crossed by any one nation state (Egeland et al. 2018). Nuclear weapon non-proliferation is also actively controlled by the UN and other security agencies, relatively successfully, but other than condemnation by the UN and Security Council, there are no means to stop or hinder the use of nuclear weapons by one of the council members.
Finally, another major challenge to the world today is overpopulation. This problem consists of many simultaneous issues, but the main concern is ultimately the planet’s finite resources which are being exhausted at a tremendous pace. These key resources that humans need to survive which are already being limited or highly conserved in the poorest and most overpopulated areas of the world are food, fresh water, and medicine. Populations that exceed the available limits of their region tend to live in highly impoverished conditions. Food sources are being limited due to climate change as discussed above, and simply a lack of enough agrarian land. Fresh water is potentially a concern, as without people cannot live nor can countries maintain their agriculture. It is predicted that wars will begin in the next decades over water sources, particularly in areas of high heat such as the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent (Biswas and Tortajada 2019).
Overall, these are gravely concerning challenges for the world today, and outside some collaboration through the UN and NGOs attempting to create relief rather than finding solutions, there are no good prospects currently. In order to create world-defining solutions, countries need to fully collaborate and unite, but as can be observed, the worse the situation gets, the more divided and hostile countries become, each seeking to maintain survival of their people.
Reference List
Biswas, Asit K., and Cecilia Tortajada. 2019. “Water Crisis and Water Wars: Myths and Realities.” International Journal of Water Resources Development 35 (5): 727–31.
Egeland, Kjølv, Torbjørn Graff Hugo, Magnus Løvold, and Gro Nystuen. 2018. “The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty and the Non-Proliferation Regime.” Medicine, Conflict and Survival 34 (2): 74–94.
United Nations. 2021. “Climate Change ‘Biggest Threat Modern Humans Have Ever Faced’, World-Renowned Naturalist Tells Security Council, Calls for Greater Global Cooperation.”UN. Web.