Critical responses to global systemic risk in an era of polycrisis

This paper highlights the escalating complexity of global risk in the context of a polycrisis—a convergence of interconnected crises that simultaneously unfold and amplify one another in unpredictable ways. Far from being isolated incidents, these crises form an intricate web of systemic challenges that now pose an unprecedented threat to both human societies and ecological systems. The interconnected nature, global scale, and compounding effects of these risks have created a landscape of systemic vulnerability that exceeds the severity and reach of past crises, demanding a deeper understanding of global interdependencies.

The notion of a polycrisis has gained traction as both researchers and the public grapple with overlapping global disruptions rooted in the post-World War II “Great Acceleration.” This period of rapid industrial and technological progress has also driven the unsustainable exploitation of natural and human resources, fueling cascading crises: climate change, inequality, conflict, biodiversity loss, pandemics, and political instability. Events such as the global financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent geopolitical conflicts underscore how economic, social, and environmental systems are increasingly intertwined. Coupled with the growing risks from emerging technologies and persistent inequality, this moment demands a radical rethinking of how we conceptualize, assess, and respond to risk in a deeply interconnected world.