Coping with Polycrisis and Systemic Risks: New Approaches to Assessment and Governance

In this webinar, hosted by the World Academy of Art and Science and its EXTRA initiative, experts explored the interconnected nature of global crises and the systemic risks emerging from complex, cascading interactions across ecological, social, and technological systems. Topics included food system vulnerabilities, equity-centered governance, resilience dividends and positive externalities, and the modeling of tipping cascades and anthroposcene traps. The speakers emphasized the need for integrated, adaptive, and ethically grounded approaches to risk assessment, governance, and communication. The session underscored the importance of inclusive decision-making, long-term thinking, and leveraging tools such as AI, scenario modeling, and systems analysis to anticipate and mitigate systemic risks in an increasingly turbulent world.