Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Watch the recording of our interactive webinar that presents the second batch of articles from the Global Sustainability special issue “Polycrisis in the Anthropocene.” The increasing popularity of the term polycrisis reflects a growing recognition that the world’s problems are densely interconnected in ways that require new thinking and action. Yet the theorization, empirical application, and practical implications of a polycrisis approach remain nascent and contested. Moderated by renowned systemic risk expert Ortwin Renn, this webinar will explore several efforts to improve our understanding and response to polycrisis.
Key topics include:
Dynamics of crisis spread
System archetypes within polycrises
The international climate regime
Systemic risk governance
Post-polycrises futures
Presenters:
Malte Brosig is Professor of International Relations at the University of Witwatersrand where he focuses on conflict, security, peacekeeping, and changes in global order. Through his involvement with CIVIS he has developed insights and recommendations to help policymakers better understand and address polycrises. He will present his paper "How do Crises Spread? The Polycrisis and Crisis Transmission"(opens in a new tab)
David Collste is a postdoctoral researcher in the Planetary Boundaries group of the Stockholm Resilience Center at Stockholm University. He explores the future of human development in the Anthropocene by applying expertise in systems dynamics, ecological economics, political science, and resilience thinking. He will present his (co-authored) paper "Polycrisis Patterns: Applying System Archetypes to Polycrisis Patterns"(opens in a new tab)
David Krogmann is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Bremen where he investigates the role of international and regional organizations in climate policy and education. He will present his paper "Liberal Environmentalism and Climate Change in the Polycrisis"(opens in a new tab)
Ruth Richardson is the Executive Director of the Accelerator for Systemic Risk Assessment (ASRA) where she helps decision-makers more fairly and effectively understand, assess, and respond to systemic risks. For over 25 years she has pursued social change and planetary health in her work in food systems and philanthropy. She will present her (coauthored) paper "Principles for Just and Effective Systemic Risk Governance."
Erik Assadourian is an author, sustainability researcher, and founder of The Gaian Way where he advances cultural change to move humanity beyond consumerism. He explores such themes as economic degrowth, low-consumption lifestyles, and Earth-centric education. He will present his paper "What Comes After the Polycrisis?"(opens in a new tab)
Discussant:
Thomas (“Tad”) Homer-Dixon is the Founder and Executive Director of the Cascade Institute at Royal Roads University where he anticipates future crises and identifies high-leverage interventions to change humanity's course for the better. His research applies complex systems thinking to the entangled security threats of the 21st century, including economic instability, climate change, ideological conflict, and energy scarcity.
Know more: cambridge.org/core/journals/global-sustainability/videos
Watch the recording of our interactive webinar that presents the second batch of articles from the Global Sustainability special issue “Polycrisis in the Anthropocene.” The increasing popularity of the term polycrisis reflects a growing recognition that the world’s problems are densely interconnected in ways that require new thinking and action. Yet the theorization, empirical application, and practical implications of a polycrisis approach remain nascent and contested. Moderated by renowned systemic risk expert Ortwin Renn, this webinar will explore several efforts to improve our understanding and response to polycrisis.
Key topics include:
Dynamics of crisis spread
System archetypes within polycrises
The international climate regime
Systemic risk governance
Post-polycrises futures
Presenters:
Malte Brosig is Professor of International Relations at the University of Witwatersrand where he focuses on conflict, security, peacekeeping, and changes in global order. Through his involvement with CIVIS he has developed insights and recommendations to help policymakers better understand and address polycrises. He will present his paper "How do Crises Spread? The Polycrisis and Crisis Transmission"(opens in a new tab)
David Collste is a postdoctoral researcher in the Planetary Boundaries group of the Stockholm Resilience Center at Stockholm University. He explores the future of human development in the Anthropocene by applying expertise in systems dynamics, ecological economics, political science, and resilience thinking. He will present his (co-authored) paper "Polycrisis Patterns: Applying System Archetypes to Polycrisis Patterns"(opens in a new tab)
David Krogmann is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Bremen where he investigates the role of international and regional organizations in climate policy and education. He will present his paper "Liberal Environmentalism and Climate Change in the Polycrisis"(opens in a new tab)
Ruth Richardson is the Executive Director of the Accelerator for Systemic Risk Assessment (ASRA) where she helps decision-makers more fairly and effectively understand, assess, and respond to systemic risks. For over 25 years she has pursued social change and planetary health in her work in food systems and philanthropy. She will present her (coauthored) paper "Principles for Just and Effective Systemic Risk Governance."
Erik Assadourian is an author, sustainability researcher, and founder of The Gaian Way where he advances cultural change to move humanity beyond consumerism. He explores such themes as economic degrowth, low-consumption lifestyles, and Earth-centric education. He will present his paper "What Comes After the Polycrisis?"(opens in a new tab)
Discussant:
Thomas (“Tad”) Homer-Dixon is the Founder and Executive Director of the Cascade Institute at Royal Roads University where he anticipates future crises and identifies high-leverage interventions to change humanity's course for the better. His research applies complex systems thinking to the entangled security threats of the 21st century, including economic instability, climate change, ideological conflict, and energy scarcity.
Know more: cambridge.org/core/journals/global-sustainability/videos
