A global survey of attitudes towards geopolitical risks highlights the deep divisions in American society, with Democrats saying extreme weather and wildfires are the biggest threat to the country, Republicans saying it is China or Iran, and Independents saying the danger of cyber attacks.
The massive survey of 12,000 people was conducted to coincide with the Munich Security Conference, the annual gathering of security officials.
And an exclusive analysis of the data for DailyMail.com shows that Americans, uniquely among the 11 countries surveyed, can’t even agree on what gives them nightmares.
So for the Democrats it’s extreme weather, then climate change in general, and then the destruction of natural habitats.
Data from a risk perception survey conducted for the Munich Security Conference shows deep divisions in the US over what keeps people awake at night
So while Democrats see the danger of extreme weather and wildfires as the most concerning,
In contrast, Republicans see the growing threat from China as their number one concern, followed by Iran and then the danger of an economic crisis.
And for Independents, cyber attacks are the top concern – based on a ranking that includes scores for their country’s severity, threat, trajectory and preparedness – followed by political polarization, and Russia.
The data is included in the Munich Security Index 2024, published by Kekst CNC, a global strategic communications consultancy.
“In most of the countries where we asked the questions, there was broad consensus on what the biggest risks were facing their populations,” said James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, which conducted the survey.
‘America is the exception. When it comes to risk perceptions, it comes down to three countries: Republicans, Democrats and everyone in between.”
It illustrates the difficulties Republican and Democratic candidates face in an election year, when their focus can alienate the swing voters they need to win over.
Respondents interviewed 12,000 people in the G7 countries, as well as in Brazil, India, China and South Africa (the BRICS countries, excluding Russia), plus a limited survey in Ukraine.
It is held every year to rank risks and set the agenda for the Munich Security Conference, which was held this weekend and brought together the world’s top national security experts.
Respondents were asked to rank 32 potential threats.
Meanwhile, Independents ranked cyber attacks and political polarization as most concerning
The results show the challenges Donald Trump and Joe Biden face in the 2024 election as they battle for a highly polarized electorate
Fires scorched 42.7 million hectares of land in Canada last year due to out-of-control blazes in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Nova Scotia
The result was the country’s smokiest summer. Fire-related air pollution will nearly double in the United States by 2023 following the worst wildfires in Canadian history
A general view of smoke rising from the Avdiivka coking and chemical plant on February 15, 2023 in Avdiivka district, Ukraine. The survey found that Russia is considered less threatening this year compared to previous surveys for the Munich Security Conference
And the findings showed that China and Russia are now seen as less of a threat than a year ago, while concerns have shifted to less traditional issues such as radical Islam and mass migration.
Respondents around the world showed increasing concern about threats to the environment and mass migration due to war or climate change.
However, the US remains an environmental outlier, driven by Republican skepticism. While environmental issues were a top-three concern for all ten other countries, they barely made the top ten in the US.
Overall, Americans cited cyber attacks as their top concern, followed by political polarization and China.
The results also showed a discrepancy between Western countries, where respondents were generally pessimistic about wealth and security over the next decade, and emerging economies, where people said they believed they would be better off in the coming decade .