The enactment of the Global Catastrophic Risk Management Act represents a significant step forward in global catastrophic risk management. It is the first time a nation has undertaken a detailed analysis of these risks.
The law orders the United States government to establish actions for prevention, preparation, and resilience in the face of catastrophic risks.
Specifically, the United States government will be required to:
Present a global catastrophic risk assessment to the US Congress.
Develop a comprehensive risk mitigation plan involving the collaboration of sixteen designated US national agencies.
Formulate a strategy for risk management under the leadership of the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management of the US.
Conduct a national exercise to test the strategy.
Provide recommendations to the US Congress.
This legislation recognizes as global catastrophic risks: global pandemics, nuclear war, asteroid and comet impacts, supervolcanoes, sudden and severe changes in climate, and threats arising from the use and development of emerging technologies (such as artificial intelligence or engineered pandemics).
Ourarticle presents an overview of the legislation, followed by a comparative discussion of the international legislation of GCRs. Furthermore, we recommend considering similar laws for adoption within the Spanish-speaking context.
Riesgos Catastróficos Globales is a science-advocacy and research organization working on improving the management of global risks in Spanish-Speaking countries. You can support our organization with a donation.
Global catastrophic risks law approved in the United States
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Executive Summary
The enactment of the Global Catastrophic Risk Management Act represents a significant step forward in global catastrophic risk management. It is the first time a nation has undertaken a detailed analysis of these risks.
The law orders the United States government to establish actions for prevention, preparation, and resilience in the face of catastrophic risks.
Specifically, the United States government will be required to:
Present a global catastrophic risk assessment to the US Congress.
Develop a comprehensive risk mitigation plan involving the collaboration of sixteen designated US national agencies.
Formulate a strategy for risk management under the leadership of the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management of the US.
Conduct a national exercise to test the strategy.
Provide recommendations to the US Congress.
This legislation recognizes as global catastrophic risks: global pandemics, nuclear war, asteroid and comet impacts, supervolcanoes, sudden and severe changes in climate, and threats arising from the use and development of emerging technologies (such as artificial intelligence or engineered pandemics).
Our article presents an overview of the legislation, followed by a comparative discussion of the international legislation of GCRs. Furthermore, we recommend considering similar laws for adoption within the Spanish-speaking context.
Read more (in Spanish)
Riesgos Catastróficos Globales is a science-advocacy and research organization working on improving the management of global risks in Spanish-Speaking countries. You can support our organization with a donation.