Building a Science-Policy Interface for tackling the Global Governance of Catastrophic and Existential Risks

Abstract

The development of this report was led by the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) at the University of Cambridge as part of a global, multi-organisation work programme to provide thinking on science and policy issues. Specifically, we have focused on the complex challenge of the multi-region and trans-cultural governance of Global Catastrophic Risks (GCRs) and Existential Risks (X-risks). It summarises the collective work of colleagues from more than 30 organisations from different continents (Asia, America, Africa and Europe) from 2021 to 2023. This work started with a scoping exercise (February 2021), followed by establishing the GCR-SPI expert group (July 2021). We then hosted an online workshop (October 2021), monthly meetings (January to May 2022) and an in-person workshop (October 2022) at The University of Cambridge.