Welcome to the Great Unraveling: Navigating the Polycrisis of Environmental and Social Breakdown

Human activity - and predominantly the global economic system - is now the prime driver of change in the Earth's natural systems and cycles. The "Great Acceleration" in human activity, beginning with the industrial revolution in 1750, has led to significant increases in energy use, material use, population growth, and GDP growth. As a result, it has also led to significant increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration, pollution, ocean acidification, deforestation, nature loss, and inequality. Thought leaders have introduced the term polycrisis to refer to the tangles of global environmental and social dilemmas that are accumulating, mutually interacting, and worsening.

This report from the Post Carbon can help you gain a deeper understanding of what it means to grapple with interconnected and intensifying sustainability crises. It highlights the pace, scale, and scope of disruption we can expect as social and environmental systems break down, and emphasises the need to address complexity and uncertainty head on. It also explains the importance of enabling solidarity between people, organisations, and nations, and outlines what you can do to develop your psychological resilience and build local community resilience. This expansive and challenging report is intended for all, but may be especially impactful for boards and senior leaders.