As Pew Research Center reported on Sunday, respondents to a 26-nation poll claimed that so-called man-made climate change is the most serious threat to the peace and stability of the world. Thirteen of the 26 countries polled listed the specter of global climate change as their top security concern in the world of 2018.
So, in many places, particularly in Europe, the UN’s propaganda on climate change seems to be working. In Greece, 90 percent of respondents listed climate change as a top security threat. In France, 83 percent believed that climate change was a security issue.
In the United States, climate change was considered only the third most serious threat, with 59 percent listing it as a concern.
The poll queried more than 27,000 respondents in 26 countries between May and August of 2018. This means that it was conducted prior to the October release of the UN IPCC’s report suggesting that the world’s citizens have only 12 years to completely alter their lifestyles or face dire consequences in connection with climate change.
Eight of the 26 countries concluded that ISIS and other Islamic terrorist groups were the top security concern. Four countries, including the United States, listed cyber-attacks from other countries as the top concern and one country — Poland — listed Russia’s power and influence as a top security threat.
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Oddly, the nation of Israel seemed the least concerned that the fears listed would harm them, with no question even breeching the 50 percent barrier. Islamic extremism was the country’s biggest concern, and only 47 percent listed it as a worry. Israel’s second biggest concern was cyber-attacks at 42 percent. Only 38 percent of Israelis listed climate change as a concern.
Russia and the African nation of Nigeria were similarly unconcerned with most of the fears listed. Both of those nations listed ISIS as the top threat at 62 percent and 61 percent respectively. None of the other concerns hit 50 percent.
South Korea, on the other hand, is afraid of everything. Eighty-six percent listed climate change as the top concern, with 82 percent listing China’s power and influence and 81 percent fearing cyber-attacks. South Koreans were least concerned with Russian power and influence, with only 44 percent seeing that as a problem.
The poll also showed that the power and influence of the United States worries the people of many countries. Sixty-seven percent of South Koreans and 66 percent of Japanese see U.S. power and influence as significant threat to their security. Sixty-four percent of Mexicans believe that U.S. power is a threat.
In Israel, only 15 percent listed U.S. power and influence as a security threat. Only 17 percent of Hungarians saw the U.S. as a threat, and in Poland, only 18 percent feared the United States.
Worldwide, 45 percent of respondents saw U.S. power and influence as a significant threat. Much of the world’s fear of the United States might have to do with President Trump and media portrayals of him. A similar poll conducted in 2013, during the Obama administration, showed that only 35 percent viewed U.S. power and influence as a significant threat. In Germany, the percentage of respondents who saw American power as a threat rose 30 points from 2013 to 2018. In France, that perception rose 29 percent.
In Mexico, on whose northern border Trump wishes to build a wall to prevent illegal immigration, the percentage who saw U.S. power as a threat rose 26 percent between 2013 and 2018.
Surprisingly, only 35 percent of the world thought that China’s power and influence was a potential security threat. The countries that fear China the most are South Korea, with 82 percent of citizens polled believing that China was a security threat, and Japan, with 66 percent.
Russia, whom the U.S. media accuses of tampering with the U.S. election in 2016, was listed by only 36 percent of worldwide respondents as a security threat. Fifty percent of U.S. respondents listed Russia as a serious security threat.
Neither of the world’s two most-populous nations, China and India, was polled. So, 2.7 billion of the world’s people aren’t represented.
As with any poll, it seems that security concerns vary greatly depending on who is asked and where they reside, which makes sense. Still, it’s interesting to look at perceptions from around the world. In Israel, Hungary, and Poland, America is popular, or, at least not feared.
Image: Bill Oxford via iStock / Getty Images Plus
