If you live in the UK, you’re already well-positioned to survive a collapse of global civilisation. I’ll admit I was a little surprised to learn this when reading the headlines over my morning cup of coffee.
Researchers at the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University concluded that the UK and Ireland join Australia, New Zealand and Iceland as the five countries best suited to maintaining civilisation within their borders in the event of a worldwide breakdown.
That’s the good news. Less optimistic is the prediction that the combination of ecological destruction, limited resources and population growth could trigger a worldwide breakdown “within a few decades”, with climate change serving as a catalyst to make things worse.
We’re becoming used to regular wake-up calls when it comes to the impact of climate change. What was only recently considered to be a problem for the future is with us already.
Storm Evert, battering the South West right now, as many families enjoy the holidays in Devon and Cornwall, is one example of how our climate has already changed. 40c-plus temperatures are forecast to become common here during the British summertime.
In recent weeks, we have witnessed the ocean on fire in the Gulf of Mexico following an underwater gas leak. In Canada, a new record temperate of 49.6c was recorded, leading to a wildfire that destroyed a town.
There is widespread flooding in Germany, Belgium and Italy, as Turkey copes with raging wildfires.
My blog today may seem like a depressing thought. Still, it can also be empowering if you consider how your Financial Plan could prepare you for such climate-related events becoming more frequent and severe.
In the future, Financial Plans will need to incorporate more factors than money alone, considering the sort of risk mitigation required to address a changing planet.
For now, one element we all have within our control is to influence the positive impact of global companies through our investment decisions, engaging with those who harm the planet to enact positive change and backing those businesses that are making the world a better place.
