Catastrophic risk is the possibility of a single event or series of events leading to catastrophic consequences. Such a risk is typically global in scope and of very high intensity, involving potentially disruptive and devastating consequences associated with natural disasters, major pandemics, and technological accidents, as well as geopolitical tensions, cyber attacks, and environmental changes. In essence, catastrophic risk is a risk of potentially fatal outcomes, regardless of if we act upon it or not. As such, serious consideration of catastrophic risk is crucial for both academic and policy settings.

See also: climate change, collective action, critical infrastructure, existential risk, mutually assured destruction