The Doomsday clock was moved forward by The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists on Wednesday to 2 minutes before midnight. The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic clock face which represents the likelihood of global human made catastrophe but overall it is more of a warning than a prediction.

The last time the clock was moved this close to midnight was the height of the cold war in 1953.

When Pakistan along with India started testing nuclear weapons the clock has been fairly close. Other contributing factors include the tension between the United State and Russia, and North Korea’s nuclear program.

Climate change has also affected the clock moving forward. There was a rise last year of the carbon dioxide emissions. However, globally there is little to no action being taken. Scientists at NASA have agreed that 2017 was among the top five years ever measured. Although there have been technological advances in renewable energy, greenhouse gas discharge was at very large amounts.

Scientists are saying that the climate change has set the clock back due to the worsening effects. Heat waves, hurricanes, the decline of Arctic ice, and wildfires are just a few examples.

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists hope that the Doomsday Clock being moved forward will urge people to take interest in global issues. They make it clear that the clock’s time to midnight is not permanent, and can get moved further away.

However this is not going to happen without taking charge in the same global issues that moved it back in the first place.  From the U.S withdrawing from the Asian part of Turkey along with Europe, to nations making a pledge of no-fist-use of nuclear weapons, scientists suggest that these small changes globally can help delay the so-called Doomsday.

Recommendations such as the world community pursuing to put to end North Korea’s missile and nuclear weapon testing, and U.S citizens demanding climate action from the government to help set the clock further away from doomsday.

If these recommendations were followed, the Doomsday Clock can be set further back.