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UK named one of the best places to survive a cataclysmic event by new research
The UK is one of the top five places to ride out a cataclysmic event
We’ve got some good news for you – sort of – in that the UK and Manchester have been named among the best places to survive a cataclysmic event.
According to new research, the UK is actually one of the world’s ‘most resilient’ countries when it comes to future threats, whether that be a complete breakdown of society, a natural disaster or the effects of climate change.
If one of these scenarios were to happen, some countries would be better able to cope than others according to the study.
New Zealand was named the best location to ride out a cataclysmic event, with Iceland, the UK, Australia and Ireland also top places for survival.
Researchers looked at a range of different events, from viral pandemics to extreme flooding or droughts, and only a few countries seemed protected even under such circumstances.
The study, undertaken by the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University, concluded that being surrounded by water was a good protection from climate catastrophes.
On top of that, the amount of farming and housing land, ‘carrying capacity’, energy and manufacturing self-sufficiency, and how far a country is from large populations who might be displaced were taken into account.
The people responsible for the study had a dire warning for us, saying that our planet is currently in a ‘perilous state’ because of ‘large and growing risks in multiple spheres’ – with much of this brought about by climate change.
While Professor Aled Jones – one of the authors of the research paper – said he ‘wasn’t surprised’ at New Zealand coming in top spot, he was by the UK scoring so highly.
Professor Jones told the Guardian: “We were quite surprised the UK came out strongly.
“It is densely populated, has traditionally outsourced manufacturing, hasn’t been the quickest to develop renewable technology, and only produces 50 per cent of its own food at the moment. But it has the potential to withstand shocks.”
The research was published in the journal Sustainability, and concluded that the five most suitable countries to survive societal collapse had certain things in common.
This included high levels of both ‘societal and technological complexity’, lower temperatures to offset the worst excesses of climate change, and the ability to supply their own energy.
New Zealand was easily the most resilient country as it boasts massive geothermal and hydroelectric energy reserves, as well as lots of farmland and low density population – Iceland, Australia and Ireland presented a similar picture.
The reasons for the UK taking a top spot are more complex, with fertile soils and large agricultural variety being a big plus, while the large amount of food we import raised questions about future self-sufficiency.
The researchers didn’t have an exact answer for what might kickstart a collapse of society, they suggested it could either be a sudden incident that happens in less than a year with no warning or a ‘long descent’.
Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay
However, there was some optimism among all the doom and gloom, with the experts saying the very worst consequences of climate change are avoidable if we start making changes.
Professor Jones said: “Significant changes are possible in the coming years and decades.
“The impact of climate change, including increased frequency and intensity of drought and flooding, extreme temperatures, and greater population movement, could dictate the severity of these changes.”