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Doomsday Clock puts humanity 90 seconds from disaster

The hands have never been so close to midnight. The so-called doomsday clock shows, every year, in a metaphorical way, how far humanity can be from destruction. Midnight is the final hour and today we are only 90 seconds from that goal, a far cry from 1991 when the end of the Cold War left us 17 minutes from midnight.

This initiative answers two questions. Is humanity safer today or at greater risk compared to last year? And is it safer or more risky compared to every year since 1947? The answer shows the assessment that scientists and security experts make of the threat facing humanity. Man-made crises are being assessed, but also natural disasters.

Even before revealing the new time, Rachel Bronson, president of the Journal of Atomic Scientists, explained that right now the biggest threat comes from war on European soil. “The statements by the Russians that they are going to use nuclear weapons are a reminder that escalation of the situation by accident, by mistake or intentionally is a great risk.” Rachel Bronson added that the possibility of the war getting out of control is very high.

That is why, in the last 12 months, the clock has moved forward ten seconds. Since 2020, the pointers have not moved.

Steve Fetter, a professor at the University of Maryland, argues that the nuclear threat has increased as never since the invasion of Ukraine. He believes that when Putin says that he will use all weapons to defend the annexed territories, he is not doing bluff.

The American professor recalls the words of the Russian president, right at the beginning of the invasion, that whoever tried to stop the Russians should be aware that the response would be immediate and would have consequences never felt in history. The intention, Steve Fetter said, was to block a response from the United States and NATO, which have been cautious, but careful as they are, the threat does not go away. If he faces the possibility of defeat, Putin can proceed to escalate the conflict.

The University of Maryland faculty member added that even if nuclear weapons are not used, the damage has already been done. “The war called into question the agreements built over 6 decades to limit the risks of using this weapon.”

In order for the clock to turn back, it is necessary to act quickly, but this is not happening. Mary Robinson, former Irish president and president of the organization created by Nelson Mandela, “The Elders”, confesses that, two years ago, when she followed the position of the hands at one hundred seconds after midnight, she could not imagine that the existing threats they would join the Covid-19 pandemic and the illegal invasion of a sovereign state by a permanent member of the Security Council.

Mary Robinson says that the increase in threats highlights the failure of leadership. “We live in a world of interconnected crises, all of which reveal the unwillingness of leaders to act in the interest of their people. The climate crisis, nuclear proliferation and the pandemic require a combat mentality on the part of leaders. Action is urgently needed. multilateralism and ethical and bold leaders. Leaders like Nelson Mandela,” said the former Irish president.

The same idea was defended by the former president of Mongolia. Elbegdorj Tsakhia stressed that the existential threat facing the world should be a matter of concern to everyone, but more worrying is the inability shown by world leaders to meet the challenge.

The former head of state recalled the history of Pompeii, in Italy. “The start of the eruption of Vesuvius caused alarm, but it was followed by many days in which nothing happened. The population got used to it, continued to live in the town and when the lava began to fall there was no time to flee. Today I see many ‘Mount Vesuvius’ next to our cities. Vesuvius which are wars, nuclear weapons, pathogenic threats, pandemics and climate change.”

Elbegdorj Tsakhia argues that leaders must listen to scientists. We all have to listen to them. The two presidents of Ireland and Mongolia wonder why most people listened and followed the advice of doctors during the pandemic, but not now that of scientists.

Source: TSF

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