Critical systemic risks—from geopolitical tensions and humanitarian crises to unregulated technology and climate breakdown—are growing more severe, abrupt, and complex, their cascading impacts already reverberating through both natural and human systems. Our institutions and frameworks are straining to address these interlinked risks, revealing a growing misalignment between existing capabilities and current realities, from the local to the global. Yet, it is here that we also find the currents of possibility.
It is in this context that ASRA (the Accelerator for Systemic Risk Assessment) hosted Currents of Change: New Horizons in Systemic Risk—the first transdisciplinary, global symposium dedicated to action on systemic risk. This invitation-only symposium brought together over 250 world-leading experts from diverse sectors to explore the interconnections driving our polycrisis, what’s working and not working in risk assessment and response, and pathways toward more resilient futures for all living beings. The program integrates inspiring speakers and conversations with hands-on working sessions, and space to discover new possibilities at the intersection of crisis and opportunity.
The event created a unique space for leaders and practitioners to advance systemic approaches to global risks. Our aims were to:
- Advance understanding of systemic risk and cascading effects, bridging gaps between theory and practice
- Showcase innovative frameworks and methodologies for assessing and managing complex risk, providing hands-on experience with emerging tools
- Identify actionable pathways for transformative action across scales, exploring real-world examples from diverse contexts
- Foster cross-sector collaboration and knowledge exchange, bridging sector and discipline siloes and nurturing lasting relationships.
Across three days of keynotes, deep-dive breakouts, and creative installations, participants explored how to assess and respond to interconnected risks—culminating in the STEER demo launch and new partnerships with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the McKnight Foundation.
To find out more, contact Kasia Murphy, Director of Communications, ASRA: kmurphy@asranetwork.org