Surviving and thriving in the 21st century

A discussion and Call to Action on Global Catastrophic Risks

Expert round table convened by The Commission for the Human Future

A CALL TO ALL NATIONS AND PEOPLE

The Commission for the Human Future here calls on the nations and peoples of the Earth to come together, as a matter of urgency, to prepare a plan for humanity to survive and thrive, far into the future.

To do so, our first Round Table has concluded, it is essential that everybody understands and plays their part in solving the ten catastrophic global risks that menace our future, in ways that assure not only our survival as a civilization but also our well-being as humans and that of the Earth we inhabit.

Lately, we have had many warnings. Human activity and numbers are transforming our world. Wildfires, floods, droughts, melting ice caps, large-scale extinctions of plants and animals, shortages of water, loss of soil, forests and sea life combined with rising food insecurity, universal pollution, pandemic diseases, collapsing states, wars and refugee crises are a wake-up call that our very way of life is at risk.

The Commission for the Human Future has been set up by concerned citizens of the Earth to:

• Alert humanity to the nature and scale of the combination of ten catastrophic risks that face our civilization
• Help to devise integrated global solutions to these risks
• Identify fresh opportunities that arise from solving the threats
• Encourage global dialogue about the risks, their solution and opportunities
• Serve as a knowledge hub for the solution of global catastrophic risks

Especially, we recognise that solutions to the great risks depend not just on government policy and corporate activity, but also on the actions of billions of individual humans in their daily lives.

Much of our present behaviour has to change, if civilization is to survive and prosper. The Commission’s goal is to share leading thought and ideas from all over the world about what society as a whole can do to build a safer, better future – and how we can each play our part to limit and overcome these risks. We must empower everyone, young and old, female and male, poor or affluent to help build a safe, sustainable human future.

This report summarises the discourse at our first Round Table event, which was held online on March 28, 2020. It is the first of many we intend to share, on the risks we all confront and ways forward for humanity. We welcome your support.