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The authors examine the concept of synergy and its applications in the polycrisis context. They present an integrative review of 14 disciplines and identify three key attributes of synergy: its magnitudes, spatial and temporal scales, and the possibility for both positive and negative synergy. The review also outlines three conceptual understandings: synergy as outcome, synergy […]
Synergies: Understandings in a Complex World Read More »
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
Coping with Polycrisis and Systemic Risks: New Approaches to Assessment and Governance Read More »
In this brief report, RAND presents the public’s perceptions of six categories of risk using data from a survey fielded to a nationally representative sample of 8,793 adults from the RAND American Life Panel. The results reflect respondents’ perceptions of risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI), asteroids and comets hitting Earth, severe changes to Earth’s
U.S. Adults’ Perceptions of Six Possible Global Threats and Hazards Read More »
In this article, Yuen Yuen Ang introduces the concept of polytunity as a counter-narrative to the prevailing discourse of polycrisis. Rather than viewing overlapping global disruptions as signs of inevitable collapse, Ang argues they present a rare opportunity for systemic transformation. She critiques the Western-centric framing of global challenges and calls for a new paradigm
The Global Polytunity Read More »
In this episode, Dr. Lou Leonard explores the global polycrisis—a convergence of multiple crisis such as climate change, ecological degradation, and rising inequality. He explains how these overlapping challenges are weakening natural systems and disrupting the foundations of our economies and societies. Leonard emphasizes the urgency of confronting these interconnected issues and highlights the importance
This article introduces a special issue dedicated to examining the management of the polycrisis and the policy responses of Lithuanian governments and public sector organizations between 2021 and 2025. It outlines the theoretical framework and research methodology used to analyze strategic decisions and operational practices in the areas of migration, energy, and sanctions policy, all
This webinar explores how the ongoing polycrisis—marked by overlapping ecological, economic, political, and social stressors—continues to destabilize regions across Africa and the Middle East. Using Egypt as a focal point, the discussion highlighted how unresolved structural vulnerabilities from the Arab Spring era remain deeply interconnected, with rising inequality, environmental degradation, and political repression still threatening
Polycrisis & Policy Brief Series Read More »
The author examines the mathematical and systemic nature of civilizational collapse, tracing how societies both ancient and modern follow what he calls the “Seneca Cliff”: a slow ascent of growth and complexity followed by a rapid, self-reinforcing decline. Drawing on complexity theory, systems dynamics, and historical examples such as the Roman Empire, the Maya, and
The Steepness of the Slope Read More »
The author examines the trajectory of global capitalist civilization through the lens of systemic collapse, drawing on historical analogies, ecological constraints, and geopolitical scenarios. He argues against binary scenarios of either total cooperation or complete breakdown, proposing instead that collapse is a complex and multidimensional process. The article highlights how capitalism’s internal contradictions, ecological overshoot,
How and when will our civilization die? Read More »
The AXA Future Risks Report 2025 presents a comprehensive analysis of global risk perceptions, emphasizing how increasing social fragmentation is compounding systemic vulnerabilities across societies. The report identifies climate change, geopolitical instability, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and big data, social tensions and movements, natural resources and biodiversity loss, macroeconomic risks, energy risks, financial stability risks, and
Future Risks Report 2025 Read More »
