Components of Global Catastrophic Risks
While there is no universally accepted, precise definition of Global Catastrophic Risks, some general characteristics make it a useful and important concept in the discourse on global policy and governance.
Severity
The kind of impact an event would have on humans or societies. A Global Catastrophic Risk is a possible event or process that threatens essential values such as human lives or means of subsistence, or the basic foundations of human societies.
Scale
The number of people affected. The harms of a Global Catastrophic Risk could potentially impact many millions, or even billions of people. While a precise cut-off point may not be possible or meaningful to define, Global Catastrophic Risks have sometimes been defined as a possible event or process that would kill or seriously harm more than 10 percent of the human population.
Geographical Reach
Just like water and air, many of the negative consequences of human actions do not know any national borders. Also, the impact of a Global Catastrophic Risk stretches beyond the boundaries of any single state or region and affects people across several continents.
Probability
Risk assessment has two components: the severity of the potential harm and the probability that it will occur. For some of the grave risks facing humanity today, the probability of globally disastrous consequences is increasing.
Need for Global Collaboration
The geographical reach of Global Catastrophic Risks also means that no single country can protect its citizens through independent action. Dealing with these risks effectively, requires cross-border collaboration, as global challenges demand strengthened global governance.
Further reading
Global Catastrophic Risks
Global Catastrophic Risks refer to events or processes that pose significant threats to large populations, across multiple continents. The Global Challenges Foundation works to raise awareness of these risks and to facilitate changes that are needed in global governance to prevent or mitigate them.
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Global Catastrophic Risks
Global Catastrophic Risks
Global Catastrophic Risks refer to events or processes that pose significant threats to large populations, across multiple continents. The Global Challenges Foundation works to raise awareness of these risks and to facilitate changes that are needed in global governance to prevent or mitigate them.