The Era of Global Risk: An Introduction to Existential Risk Studies

This edited volume argues that humanity has entered a fundamentally novel era of existential risk. These risks range from global-scale natural disasters (like volcanic super-eruptions) to anthropogenic environmental destabilization (like climate change and loss of biosphere integrity), and from calamities that spread rapidly around our highly networked planet (like viruses and cyber threats) to the development of novel technologies with high destructive potential (such as artificial intelligence and biotechnologies). It includes chapters on the history of existential risk studies, societal collapse, science governance, global (in-) justice, and inclusive existential risk governance, along with chapters on specific existential threats.