Polycrisis and Systemic Risk: Assessment, Governance, and Communication

In this article Huan Liu and Ortwin Renn examine the concepts of polycrisis and systemic risk. They outline key commonalities and differences and develop a joint understanding to inform risk assessment, governance, and communication. The authors argue that traditional, siloed approaches are no longer adequate in a world marked by cascading, interconnected crises. Drawing on complexity science, resilience theory, and network analysis, they advocate for adaptive and inclusive strategies that address systemic interdependencies. The article concludes with a call for institutional innovation and participatory communication to more effectively manage global risks in an era of polycrisis.