What Is a ‘Polycrisis’ and How Do We Get Out of It?

Everyone’s saying we’re in a ‘polycrisis’, but what is it, and how do we get out of it? The world is facing a cascade of converging challenges. Experts have coined a new term for this cluster of interconnected risks - Polycrisis. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2023 polled 1,200 experts from across the world. In the next 2 years, they say the cost-of-living crisis is the largest short-term risk. But over the next decade, failure to abate climate change is a larger threat. 6 of the top 10 long-term risks are climate-related. Just like the polycrisis, climate change is a multifaceted problem, say experts, and to solve it, governments, businesses, and the civil sector must work together. The report shows the risk of a polycrisis receding as time goes on. 80% predict it will dominate the next 2 years, but only 50% said this will still be the case after 10 years. Do you think we’re in a polycrisis?