How long can we survive on the planet or is it all over?

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Growing Nuclear Fraternity.

Since the Cold War numerous other countries have acquired nuclear weaponry, and this sudden proliferation is deeply worrying. It means that at some future point a relatively minor conflict could have disastrous consequences. In 1999 for instance, numerous Russian ministers warned that the world stood poised on the brink of a nuclear holocaust.

In this case the conflict was Kosovo, a miniscule province of Yugoslavia that few people in the world had even heard of. At the same time the threat of nuclear war also hung over the Indian continent as India and Pakistan fought each other over disputed territory. In the end common sense prevailed in both these conflicts and the world breathed a collective sigh of relief.

One that involved not just a few thousand square kilometres of territory, but the basic necessities of life, like food and water, and adequate living space - all of which are set to become the dominant issues of the future. It means that in our appraisal of planet threatening scenarios, the threat of disaster arriving as a result of an exterior factor, such as an asteroid strike, palls in significance compared to the real and terrifying dangers we pose to ourselves. Dangers, that if left unchecked are sure to have devastating consequences for the whole human race.

Urgent action.

It would seem obvious that based on these facts and circumstances urgent action is needed to avoid what could easily become a highly explosive situation in the not too distant future. If not then we embark on a universal free for all where the outcome is a lottery that holds at ransom the entire future of the human race.

Obvious answers.

The answer as always is staring us in the face. It is quite simply that nations everywhere must be made to feel they are part of a level playing field. Benefits for some, must be benefits for all, and no nation must be seen to advance itself at the expense of another. These may be very basic concepts, but at the heart lies the seed for our future security - whether it be one of conflict, or a genuine state of harmony in a world that is truly at peace with itself.