The global nature of many of today's burning issues is not just a matter of geographical scale, but concerns the complexity of connections that can make problems seem intractable and outcomes unpredictable. A butterfly flapping its wings in a rainforest may be said to influence the weather on the other side of the world. The effects of 'toxic' mortgage products for certain American households trigger an international banking collapse. Wars, famines and outbreaks of disease routinely have societal side effects across continents. Meanwhile, the arrival of a certain new resident in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, sends palpable geopolitical ripples round the world.
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