Implications for science and governance | In conclusion 28 In conclusion

lessons relearnt The first volume of Late lessons from early warnings was published in 2001. Since then, the world has changed significantly. It is larger in population but smaller in interconnectivity; faster in terms of technology adoption but slower in terms of policy action in the face of complex interlinked problems; more volatile in terms of economic and environmental changes, yet more static in terms of political reflexivity and adaptations in governance. Beyond the current financial and economic crises, there are several long-term, systemic and interconnected challenges, such as depletion of natural resources, climate change, a 2-billion person increase in the world population by 2050