This article argues how fossil fuels are both the main driver of the polycrisis and a significant barrier to effective climate action. It highlights how the global economy’s dependence on oil, gas, and coal not only fuels climate change but also reinforces political inertia through industry influence, misinformation campaigns, and lobbying efforts. The article underscores […]
Fossil Fuels as the Cause of the Global Polycrisis Read More »
This book explores innovative ways in which different media, communicative fields, and creative practices are making a difference in a world increasingly defined by systemic, deepening, and compounding crises. It examines how these practices can contribute positively to a broader understanding of our planetary predicament and promote the cultural flourishing of new ideas and regenerative
Communicating a World-in-Crisis Read More »
This PolyCIVIS Foundational Brief explores the complexities of the polycrisis, examining the human dimension and focusing on governance, economic systems, and public trust. It analyzes the politics of framing the polycrisis and how existing governance structures can inadvertently contribute to its intricacy. It emphasizes the need for long-term, systemic solutions over short-term measures and advocates
The authors examine why the world’s most urgent problems remain unsolved, emphasizing their interconnected and self-perpetuating nature. Drawing on theories of systemic failure and cumulative causation, they show how global issues interlock in degenerative cycles that cannot be addressed in isolation. By mapping 162 global issues into seven overarching categories, the “Wicked 7,” they identify
Wicked Problems: The Book Read More »
This policy brief explores how the humanitarian sector must adapt to increasingly complex polycrisis . It presents key recommendations for reimagining humanitarian aid to prevent a slide into permacrisis, emphasizing the need to shift from reactive, centralized models to locally led, systems-based approaches. Central to this transformation is empowering local actors through meaningful leadership, dismantling
Humanitarian Aid in the Polycrisis: Local and Systems Thinking Approaches Read More »
The author explores the interconnected global risk landscape, where various risks amplify one another, potentially causing cascading effects across regions and sectors. She examines the global relationship between different types of risks and analyzes the significance of the coefficients derived from collected time panel data. Key findings include the positive correlation between net user growth
Global Interconnectedness of Risks: A Worldwide Analysis Read More »
This chapter explores the impacts of the “great acceleration” in human development and its impact on planetary boundaries and the polycrisis in the Anthropocene. Using an Integrative Geography perspective, it links human-nature relationships, growth limits, and global expansion to crises and geopolitical conflicts, highlighting interconnected risks. The chapter calls for sustainable peace by balancing human
In this article, Henry Farrell explores the collision between the polycrisis and the omnishambles, a term for political and bureaucratic dysfunction. Farrell argues that while government regulation traditionally acts as a stabilizing force against financial and systemic risks, the dismantling of administrative capacity under Trump’s second term risks amplifying instability instead of containing it. Drawing
When the Polycrisis Hits the Omnishambles, What Comes Next? Read More »
This paper examines the structural impediments to addressing systemic global challenges in a polycrisis environment. The analysis identifies two primary categories of barriers: belief systems that disconnect individuals from systemic issues, and social barriers that hinder collective action. Drawing on successful historical interventions—such as the eradication of smallpox and the elimination of polio—the authors outline
Leading Beyond Barriers: Creating Impact in an Age of Polycrisis Read More »
The authors explore the polycrisis concept as the interaction of multiple global crises, arguing that focusing solely on causal links does not fully capture the politics of knowledge about the polycrisis. They highlight the challenge of managing deep scientific and political uncertainties in the Anthropocene and propose that the polycrisis research program adopts decision-making under
The Polycrisis and the Uncertainty Possibility Space Read More »
