The world is increasingly perceived as a more perilous place. This sentiment is frequently expressed today, but is it truly accurate? Historical comparisons offer limited insight. The recent 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, where 1.1 million individuals, predominantly Jews, were murdered by the Nazis between 1940 and 1945, serves as a stark reminder of the unimaginable brutality that can occur during unchecked warfare. Could conditions deteriorate further?
Current readings from the “Doomsday Clock,” which symbolically gauges the threat of global catastrophe, indicate that they might. A panel of international scientists has set the clock at 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been to the theoretical point of annihilation. The familiar threats include the risk of nuclear conflict, climate change, pandemics, disinformation, and emerging technologies. The crux of the issue is that these dangers are poorly managed and are steadily escalating.
The perception that the world is spiraling out of control is intensified by environmental and health crises, such as the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, droughts in the Sahel, and outbreaks of Ebola and other deadly infectious diseases. Additionally, the disruptive and destructive actions of governments contribute significantly to global instability, as they increasingly disregard the UN Charter, international borders, fundamental human rights, and the International Criminal Court.
When the U.S. president, typically seen as the primary protector of the post-1945 rules-based order, threatens to unprovokedly attack a Western European ally to seize its territory, it is no surprise that feelings of insecurity rise. This is exemplified by Donald Trump’s attempts to coerce Denmark into relinquishing Greenland. His neighboring countries, including Panama, Mexico, Colombia, and Canada, face similar intimidation.
The independent, non-profit organization Acled (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) compiles data and analysis to monitor and mitigate violent conflict. It reports that global conflict has doubled in the past five years, with incidents of political violence in 2024 rising by 25% compared to 2023, and that one in eight people worldwide is exposed to conflict. These statistics lend substantial credence to the belief that the world is becoming more dangerous.
While some conflicts, such as those between Israel and Palestine and Russia and Ukraine, receive significant media coverage, they are exceptions. Many ongoing conflicts—ranging from wars and invasions in Sudan and Congo, severe human rights violations in Afghanistan and Tibet, gang violence in Haiti and Colombia, mass starvation in Yemen and Somalia, to political repression in Nicaragua, Belarus, and Serbia—are underreported, overlooked, or ignored.
Emerging conflicts, such as those involving China and Taiwan, as well as Iran, the U.S., and Israel, warrant closer scrutiny. Collectively, these situations paint a chilling picture of a world entrenched in warfare.
