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This blog post is the first in a series of posts in which Jeremy Brecher advocates a Global Green New Deal as the remedy to polycrisis. He argues that the present features a global polycrisis that is unique from crises of the past due to the interconnections between crises in multiple sectors, particularly geopolitics, economics, […]
“The Whole World is in a Terrible State o’ Chassis” Read More »
Motivated by a desire to strengthen the social relevance of geography in the quest for global sustainability, Matlovic and Matlovicova discuss how the subdisciplines of geography and the rich heritage they present, as well as other related disciplines, can be integrated into the geographical study of polycrisis in the Anthropocene epoch. The authors identify polycrisis
In an interview with CIVIS (Europe’s Civic University Alliance), University of the Witwatersrand International Relations Professor Malte Brosig shares his definition of polycrisis (“multiple interlinked crises, which condition each other creating a system in their own right. A strong emphasis is placed on crisis interconnection cross cutting many spaces and policy fields”) and responds to
A Polycrisis Q&A with Malte Brosig Read More »
Nick King argues that industrial civilization has created many persistent and severe hazards (such as nuclear waste, methane leaking hydrocarbon infrastructure, contaminated sites, landfills, and deforested land), polycrises in the near future may significantly constrict humanity’s ability to manage these hazards, and therefore societies should prioritize long-term remedial actions now, while they still have the
‘Pre-Polycrisis’ Hazard Mitigation Read More »
The GAR 2024 report examines current and emerging trends through forensic analysis of ten recent disasters, identifying key drivers of vulnerability such as poverty, inequality, unplanned urbanization, and weak enforcement of environmental and safety standards. It underscores the urgent need to shift from reactive responses to proactive, long-term, and risk-informed strategies. The report calls for
The authors explore the challenges decision makers face to address the impact of polycrisis on essential operational functions such as risk management and strategic planning. They offer insights and tools designed to enhance decision-makers capacity to make informed and effective decisions in the face of interconnected risks.
Decision-Making in the Polycrisis Era Read More »
This study examines the dynamics of societal collapse based on Joseph Tainter’s theory of the “collapse of complex societies.” It explores how rising societal complexity influences productivity and the likelihood of collapse. The findings show that increasing complexity, driven by external stresses, increases the risk of collapse, highlighting the direct link between complexity and vulnerability
This commentary introduces “Polycrisis in the Anthropocene,” a special issue of Global Sustainability journal. It elaborates upon three major contributions of the issue’s lead article, “Global Polycrisis: The Causal Mechanisms of Crisis Entanglement,” and it explores three key debates surrounding the polycrisis concept: Are we in a polycrisis, at risk of a polycrisis, or neither?
Polycrisis in the Anthropocene: An Invitation to Contributions and Debates Read More »
Kyle Chayka considers different possible labels for “our chaotic historical moment, a term that we can use when we want to evoke the panicky incoherence of our lives of late.” Contenders include artist and author James Biddle’s “New Dark Age,” which emphasizes the dangers and disappointments of the internet era; social strategist Liz Lenkinski’s “Age
The Terrible Twenties? The Assholocene? What to Call Our Chaotic Era Read More »
James Gustave Speth argues that the polycrisis has undermined earlier hopes for steady, gradual, progressive change, but is also stimulating new and unconventional visions for transformative change that should not be quickly dismissed.
You Say You Want a Revolution: Dreaming of New Futures in the Polycrisis Read More »
