Global water shortages emerge as engineers' greatest concern

摘要

More than a third of engineers fear that global water shortages and economic meltdowns pose the greatest threat to civilisation in the coming 40 years, according to the findings of a survey by NCEI's, sister magazine NCE. To mark NCFs 40th year, engineers were asked for their imagined view of what their world and society will look like in another 40 years. Some 36% of respondents expressed their concern over water shortages just ahead of 27% who feared an increase in economic crises in developed nations. Both risks were considered far greater than those posed by war (7%), floods (5%), famine (3%), earthquakes (2%) or tsunami (no votes). Fears that one superpower would become too dominant was cited by 14% of engineers.