The need for scientific discourse on the risk of societal collapse

Extract

We appreciate the opportunity to address the concerns raised by Craig R. Walton (2025) regarding our paper, Ripple and colleagues (2024), “The 2024 State of the Climate Report: Perilous times on planet Earth,” specifically the section on the risk of societal collapse. Our analysis aimed to draw attention to the increasing scholarly discourse on the intersections between climate change and potential societal collapse. Societal collapse can be thought of as any significant and enduring loss of the functioning within a society, which may occur partially or regionally, rather than universally or entirely. We acknowledge the limitations in directly equating the increase in publications on this subject to a quantifiable “risk” of societal collapse, but we believe our work accurately reflects the broader context of rising concern and scholarly focus.

The papers cited in our analysis, spanning various disciplines, provide valuable perspectives on societal vulnerability to environmental and systemic stressors. These include historical analyses, philosophical explorations, and forward-looking projections. We emphasize that a multidisciplinary approach is essential for understanding the complex interplay of climate change, societal resilience, and potential collapse. Although some papers may discuss historical collapses, the lessons drawn are applicable to contemporary challenges, illustrating patterns of vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience.