What are Anthropocene traps?

Anthropocene traps are 14 interconnected evolutionary dead ends identified by Søgaard Jørgensen et al. (2024) where short-term human behaviors — such as overconsumption, chemical pollution, and biodiversity loss — lock societies into self-reinforcing patterns that undermine long-term sustainability and well-being.

How does the particle simulation work?

Particles flow from left (representing human enterprise) toward the right (a safe and just future). Along the way, 14 spiral attractors representing each trap can capture particles. A scenario slider lets you shift between transformative change (fewer particles trapped) and polycrisis escalation (more particles trapped).

What is the polycrisis?

The polycrisis describes a situation where multiple global crises — climate change, biodiversity loss, inequality, pollution — interact and amplify each other, making each one harder to solve in isolation. The 14 Anthropocene traps map the mechanisms behind this interconnected crisis.

ANTHROPOCENE TRAPS 14 evolutionary traps

Scenario Current Trajectory

0% trapped 0% safe

Navigating the Anthropocene Strait

Our interconnected global society is sailing through uncertain waters. The Anthropocene Strait is lined with 14 evolutionary traps — systemic forces that capture human enterprise and prevent us from reaching a safe and just future. Like whirlpools in a narrow passage, each trap pulls in resources, attention, and momentum that would otherwise carry us forward.

The Ship

The ship represents our collective voyage — our interconnected global society, with its strengths and vulnerabilities, navigating an uncertain sea. Click the ship wheel button to activate it, then click anywhere on the canvas to set waypoints. The ship is influenced by the flow field's currents but follows your guidance. Steer wide of the vortices, or watch it get captured and respawn at the starting line. Reaching the green safe zone means a successful passage.

14 Evolutionary Traps

The traps are organized into three groups:

Global Traps Technology Traps Structural Traps

Of the 87 non-neutral interactions between them, 95% are amplifying and only 5% dampening — revealing the deeply systemic nature of the polycrisis. Click any trap to see its details, phase evolution, and connections to other traps.

Explore Scenarios

Use the scenario slider to explore different futures — from transformative change (weakening traps) to polycrisis escalation (strengthening them). Per-trap strength sliders let you explore "what if we addressed this trap?" scenarios. The dice button randomizes trap positions for a fresh layout.

Evolvability

Evolvability is the key concept for navigating out of traps: recognizing them, measuring and forecasting, reorganizing and innovating, being prepared for the unknown, and navigating conflict. Addressing even a few hub traps — Division, Short-termism, Overconsumption, Technological Autonomy — could help alleviate several others.

This is an educational visualization, not a predictive model. The ship metaphor illustrates the challenge of navigating systemic traps, not an actual prediction of outcomes.

Inspiration

Inspired by the frameworks of Planetary Boundaries (Rockstrom et al. 2009, Steffen et al. 2015, Richardson et al. 2023), Earth System Boundaries (Gupta et al. 2023), and the Anthropocene Traps research (Søgaard Jørgensen et al. 2024), which together define the safe operating space for humanity and map the systemic forces that threaten it.

References

Søgaard Jørgensen P, Jansen REV, Avila Ortega DI, Wang-Erlandsson L, Donges JF, Österblom H, Olsson P, Nyström M, Lade SJ, Hahn T, Folke C, Peterson GD, Crépin A-S. 2024. Evolution of the polycrisis: Anthropocene traps that challenge global sustainability. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 379(1893): 20220261. DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0261

Visualization: GLOBAÏA, 2026. Particle simulation concept, design, and implementation.

Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

Suggested citation

GLOBAÏA (2026). Navigating the Anthropocene Strait [interactive visualization]. globaia.org/anthropocene-traps/interactive/. Accessed .

The Anthropocene Strait

Fourteen evolutionary traps challenge humanity's path to a safe and just future. Watch as particles of human enterprise navigate the strait, drawn into spiraling traps or reaching safety on the other side.

This interactive visualization requires JavaScript to run.

It simulates 14 Anthropocene evolutionary traps identified by Søgaard Jørgensen et al. (2023): Simplification, Growth for Growth, Overshoot, Division, Contagion, Infrastructure Lock-in, Chemical Pollution, Existential Technology, Technological Autonomy, Disinformation, Short-termism, Overconsumption, Biosphere Disconnect, and Local Social Capital Loss.

The Anthropocene Strait

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