To survive known existential threats, humanity must take immediate action on several fronts. If you spend your life working for anything else, great, follow your passion, just be aware that Cultural Preservation, and Social Inclusion may be wiped out along with all other human achievements by a single large asteroid, gamma ray burst, micronova, or nuclear war.
The priority order of urgency of existential threats to humanity can vary depending on perspective and expert opinions. However, considering current consensus among experts and policymakers, the following list represents a commonly recognized priority order:
1. Awarness, Asessment and Planning: Before taking action, we must have actionable intelligence, and in this case, that means a big picture understanding of the largest threats to human survival, along with the odds of each. This first step, represented on newsi8.com and many other resources, should re-shuffle the next highest priorities, examples of which follow.
2. Climate Change: Increasing global temperatures, caused primarily by human activities, have the potential to cause widespread and irreversible damage to ecosystems, displacing populations, disrupting food production, and exacerbating extreme weather events.
3. Nuclear Weapons: The existence and potential use of nuclear weapons pose a grave threat to humanity. Accidental launches, regional conflicts, or the use of a small number of nuclear weapons could have catastrophic consequences, resulting in mass casualties and long-term environmental effects.
4. Pandemics and Global Health Crises: The emergence and rapid spread of highly contagious and deadly diseases can cause significant disruptions to societies, economies, and health systems, resulting in mass casualties, destabilization, and economic collapse.
5. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Technological Risks: Advances in AI and emerging technologies raise concerns about the potential dangers they pose. The uncontrolled development of AI or its use for malicious purposes could lead to unintended consequences, such as loss of control, job displacement, or even autonomous lethal weapons.
6. Biodiversity Loss and Ecosystem Collapse: The ongoing loss of biodiversity, habitat destruction, and degradation of ecosystems threaten the stability and resilience of natural systems. Loss of essential ecosystems and species can have far-reaching impacts on food production, climate regulation, and overall ecosystem services.
7. Global Governance and Social Instability: The breakdown of global governance, rise in geopolitical tensions, social inequality, and political instability can impede effective responses to other existential threats, diminish cooperation, and exacerbate the challenges faced by humanity.
8. Earth Ending Threats: Our own sun will at some point destroy our planet. We know this from long astronomical oberservation of similar stars.
What Must Be Done?
Certain action plans can help protect our species against several looming threats. At this point most humans are focused intently on their own interpersional and employment, and, at the next level up, on competing for limited resources for our tribes (countries, social groups, families, etc.), but thinking bigger, at the human species level, will be needed for mutual survival.
1. Backup Planet: Awareness of all earth killing threats must be soberly utilized to craft effective strategies to achieve big audacious goals to save our species. Human space ships and stations with technologies for long term space travel must help us to establish our first back up planet.
2. Addressing climate change: Humans must drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and switch to renewable energy sources. This involves transitioning away from fossil fuels, adopting sustainable practices, and implementing policies to mitigate the effects of climate change.
3. Promoting international cooperation: Addressing global challenges requires collaboration between nations. Political leaders and organizations must work together to establish international agreements and mechanisms that promote environmental protection, conflict resolution, and the equitable distribution of resources.
4. Ensuring resource sustainability: Humans need to find ways to sustainably manage and protect crucial resources such as water, land, and biodiversity. This involves promoting conservation efforts, adopting sustainable agricultural practices, and protecting natural habitats.
5. Advancing technology: Humanity must invest in innovative technologies to tackle existential threats. This includes developing clean energy solutions, advancing climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, improving healthcare, and enhancing our understanding of the natural world.
6. Education and awareness: Raising awareness about existential threats is crucial. Education and public outreach can help people understand the gravity of these challenges and motivate them to take individual actions to reduce their ecological footprint and promote sustainable practices.
7. Strengthening governance: Effective government policies are essential for driving positive change. Governments need to enact legislation, regulations, and incentives that support sustainable practices, renewable energy, and climate resilience. Transparency, accountability, and public participation in decision-making processes are also vital.
8. Foster a shift in societal values: A fundamental shift in societal values is necessary to prioritize collective well-being over short-term gains. This involves embracing sustainable lifestyles, reducing consumerism, and promoting ethical, compassionate, and inclusive behavior towards all humans and the environment.
Addressing existential threats requires urgent and coordinated action, commitment, and resources from individuals, communities, governments, and organizations at all levels. It is a collective responsibility to safeguard the future of humanity.
