What Global Risks?

[Scythe13]

The more I try to mitigate against a worst case scenario, i.e. TEOTWAWKI, the more I am prepared for a lower level SHTF scenario. Which seems pretty clear and simple logic.

However, the more I think about it, the less I can imagine happening that would cause an EOTWAWKI type situation.

Think of it like this, what kind of global catastrophes are possible in which a person could survive, and the world was not able to provide assistance?

I look at things like a nuclear bomb going off and causing an EMP. Thank goodness for other countries that would provide aid. Same for major situations.

Large scale events will happen, and the majority of the time the 'global community' lends a helping hand.

What large scale events do you foresee that could result in no outside aid being provided or available?

[CharlesHarris]

Multiple high orbit EMPs which take out global satcom and navigation.

[bigpaul]

most times it is us(the UK) giving aid to other countries in the event of a serious crisis. other countries giving Britain aid if the circumstances were reversed? I doubt it-most seem to hate us for one reason or another to let us wallow in our own problems, and in a GLOBAL event there would be any help coming from anywhere(even the Yanks) as they would all have their own problems.

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it dosent matter what the event is, NO ONE is riding to the rescue like the 7th.calvary-especially the UK government, the recent floods showed us that- we are on our own in ANY event and the sooner people realise that the better.

[Scythe13]

Be that as it may BP, and I'm not saying I disagree, but what events do you see as having a global effect?

[bigpaul]

its probably not just one thing or one catalyst that will "break the horses back" so to speak it will more likely be a series of things, I don't see TEOTWAWKI as being one big bang and everything is over, more likely it will be a long drawn out affair over many weeks or months, may be 6 months before the country reaches rock bottom, but it will be the worst 6 months anybody has ever seen or could ever envisage.

[Tarrel]

Localised outbreak of a serious disease, resulting in the country being quarantined by the rest of the world (as in "28 days later").

[bigpaul]

any numbers of things are possible, from the man made to the natural, what causes it is for the most part irrelevant but its what you do about it that is the question.

[Devonian]

I tend to agree with S13 on this and find it difficult to comprehend an EOTWAWKI event.

Most risks/events are likely to be local/regional as opposed to global, they could still be serious and long lasting, but that doesn't mean we couldn't get back to where we are today - think about the boxing day Tsunami as an example.

Also no matter how much some countries hate us, there will always be others that will offer help, as we would to them, including most of Europe; the US; Canada; Australia/New Zealand etc.... I also wouldn't necessarily discount China/Russia offering assistance either....

So to go back to the original question, then for me it has to be either all out global nuclear war, which I think is highly unlikely; or some kind of event originating from space not little green men!, but possibly a huge EMF; large meteor impact or pole reversal etc...

Even then with an EMF strike, we do not really know what kind of effect that will have, many cars for example with their monocoque construction may already form a satisfactory faraday cage capable of protecting their electronics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve6XGKZxYxA

The same may also be correct for many steel framed and steel clad buildings - we just don't know???

So the idea of some kind of totally "global event" that universally affects everyone is for me at least difficult to comprehend.......

Oh, and the large meteor impact, well that could just be an extinction level event, so we don't need to worry about that do we!!

[bigpaul]

I get this all the time on every forum I have ever been on, just cos people cannot envisage a life changing event(think NON total extinction event) they then poo-poo anyone who does and I get the accusations of paranoia, anything is possible and I rule nothing out, they way the country and the world is going I am expecting some LC(life changing) event sooner rather than later, my plans are all encompassing not just for this or that event.

[Scythe13]

What about massive volcanic activity? Damage to the atmosphere?

Granted CME's would be global, as would nuke-war.

I am uncertain about the idea of massed crop failure and food shortages. Because of the interlinked style the world is currently in, I do think it's possible, but the effect it would have, I doubt would be an EOTWAWKI situation.