The United Nations’ 2022 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction report is claiming the worst: total societal collapse. As humanity continues to breach “planetary boundaries”, the global collective warns that the current civilisation may not be stable anymore.
Are we heading towards total societal collapse?
Via BylineTimes, the recent United Nations report explains that society is reaching a pivotal breaking point. With unparalleled mass production causing resources to be stretched thinner than ever before, humanity is demanding too much of The Earth.
The report explains that modern society has already pushed outside of the “safe operating space” of numerous planetary boundaries. In total, four key ecosystems are being pushed to their absolute limits by massive corporations and huge populations, such as America.
Alongside the massive advancement of climate change, the UN warns that “human material and ecological footprint is accelerating the rate of change”. This means that humanity is stretching what can be accomplished with the world’s current resources.
The report explains that crossing planetary boundaries tends to result in the crossing of others. It states: “with the passing of these boundaries subsequently, and most likely resulting in societal destabilisation and potential GCR events”.”
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The Quest for Stable Earth
The report doesn’t state that the current state of Earth is set in stone. In fact, the report outlines four different trajectories with one referred to as “Stable Earth”.
“In all of these scenarios except for ‘stable earth’, the achievement of global targets and accompanying frameworks is negatively impacted,” the UN writes. “Furthermore, in the absence of change, scenarios ‘Earth under uncertainty’ and ‘Earth under threat’ tend towards that of ‘global collapse’.”
One of these scenarios explains that total societal collapse is a possibility with these models. The worst scenario details huge events resulting in massive damage across the entire world.
“In this scenario, global targets have most likely not been achieved, and the resulting collapse of society in this scenario means that the future achievement of any global targets is unlikely, and total societal collapse is a possibility,” the report says. “Disaster risk reduction has not been successful and disasters are common, with disaster events as well as GCR events such as pandemics increasing.”
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Destruction of international stability
The United Nations explains that the worst case scenario will essentially result in the disbandment of the UN itself. With so many issues happening worldwide, the destruction of international relationships is expected.
Additionally, this will make “events such as a pandemic or nuclear war more likely”. This also shows a scenario with a rapidly declining environment that will likely result in millions upon millions of deaths.