The MegaRisks

Humans have killed off three quarters of the world's large wild animals since 1970. We have devastated most of its forests, grasslands and oceans. We are undermining the Earth's life support systems for humans and animals.

The world is running out of clean, fresh water. We lose 75 billion tonnes of topsoil a year. We have felled two thirds of our wild forests. We are emptying the oceans of fish and are using up the Earth's resources 50% faster than they regenerate. 

The planet is  presently on track for +4 degrees of global warming by 2100, which will make large parts uninhabitable. Mass release of methane and ice melt are accelerating climate collapse. Polar melting will eventually raise sea levels by 65 metres.

The world has 12,500 nuclear weapons; fewer than 100 could end civilization. The threat of nuclear conflict is rising due to a continued arms race and dangerous new technologies where robots and AI decide who dies.

The industrial global food system is unsustainable. It cannot feed 10 billion people on a hot planet with shrinking resources. Two thirds of humans now die from diet-related diseases. Our food system needs urgent reinvention.

Human chemical emissions are now 120-220 billion tonnes a year - 3-5 times the scale of our climate emissions. They poison every  person on the planet, every day. They cause of many 'lifestyle' diseases and pose a growing threat to our survival and that of all life.

There have been nine pandemics since 2000. The rate at which new plagues are infecting humanity is accelerating due to overpopulation, wilderness destruction, travel, social behaviour and irresponsible science.

The human population is forecast to rise from 8 billion in 2030 to 10 billion in the 2050s and 11 billion by 2100. This is four to five times larger than the Earth's estimated carrying capacity of humans at a reasonable living standard. 

New technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Killer Robots, Universal Surveillance , Nanotechnology and novel man-made life-forms are arriving far faster than society can understand or control. Uncontrolled techno-risk is an emergent  threat to our own survival.

The inability of people to understand the deadly threats that now confront us all is the greatest barrier to global action for a safe human future. Disinformation, lies and false beliefs being spread by politicians, corporates and mischievous individuals cause mass deaths and pose a direct threat to our survival.