In addition to Australia and New Zealand, researchers have named Iceland, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu as places where, after a possible nuclear strike, devastating volcanic eruption, or asteroid collision, humans would be better able to produce food and avoid civilization than to return to a pre-industrial level — writes A. life.
Even in the event of the most dramatic disasters, it can be relied upon that a handful of survivors around the world will remain on Earth, and will start in the most adapted countries with the best chances.
The study’s authors compared 38 island nations based on thirteen aspects that can be used to predict how well they will survive the end of the world. They studied, among other things, what are the conditions for food production, what are the available energy sources, what are the possibilities for industrial production, and what is the impact of the disaster on the climate. All of this was reported in the journal Risk Analysis, according to coverage by the Guardian on Thursday.
Based on the 13 Aspects Summary, Australia and New Zealand topped the list of the most successful places to survive
Both countries have significant agricultural production and are far from the most dangerous locations in the northern hemisphere for a nuclear detonation.
Australia’s food reserves are huge and, if necessary, can provide tens of millions of people. Infrastructure conditions are good, energy resources are plentiful, health care is at a high level, and the defense budget is high, all of which can contribute to success.
Only one factor works against Australia: since it maintains very close military ties with Great Britain and the United States, it has a greater chance of becoming the target of a possible nuclear attack.
On the one hand, this aspect will be more beneficial for a traditionally nuclear-free New Zealand, as well as the fact that its climate will be able to react flexibly even in the event of a possible sudden drop in global temperature. According to calculations, New Zealand would have enough food even if agricultural production dropped by 61 percent due to the long nuclear winter.
At the same time, it is unfavorable for the country that it does not have its own crude oil refining capacity, and relies heavily on importing diesel, pesticides and agricultural machinery.
