New Zealand best placed to survive global collapse, 4 other countries favourite

New Zealand topped the list due to its low population, abundant agricultural land, and ability to produce geothermal and hydroelectric energy.

New Zealand is best placed to survive a collapse of global civilisation owing to widespread reversal of the trends, according to a study. The researchers said ecological destruction, limited resources, and population growth, with climate change serving as a “risk multiplier” has left human civilisation in a “perilous state”.

The researchers identified five nations that could act as a “collapse lifeboat”, with New Zealand having the greatest potential. (AP)

The study, carried out by Nick King and Professor Aled Jones of the Global Sustainability Institute at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), noted that increasing “globalisation, complexification, interdependency and the speed of fundamental societal support systems” creates significant global risks that could lead to large-scale failures.

These factors could trigger a global societal collapse during a “long descent” or very rapidly in the space of less than a year without warning of the coming disruption, the study said.

The researchers assessed the most favourable starting conditions to survive a global collapse by examining energy and manufacturing infrastructure, the ability to grow enough food for the population and isolation from large population centres to avoid unwanted mass migration.

The researchers identified five nations that could act as a “collapse lifeboat”, with New Zealand having the greatest potential. The other four countries most suited to maintaining higher levels of societal, technological, and organisational complexity within their own borders are Iceland, the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland.

The strong oceanic climatic influence and low temperature and precipitation variability in these five countries make them a favourite landmass for relatively stable conditions despite the effects of climate change, the study said. New Zealand topped the list due to its low population, abundant agricultural land, and ability to produce geothermal and hydroelectric energy.

“Significant changes are possible in the coming years and decades. The impact of climate change, including increased frequency and intensity of drought and flooding, extreme temperatures, and greater population movement, could dictate the severity of these changes,” said Jones, co-author of the study published in the journal Sustainability.