Principles for guiding future research on resilience and tipping points

The world is currently experiencing a series of dramatic changes, from the consequences of global warming, flooding, forest fires and drought-induced forest mortality to the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical conflicts. These events have elevated the concepts of resilience and tipping points into widespread use across various disciplines. However, each discipline often interprets and defines these concepts differently, leading to inconsistencies and misunderstandings. David Hilbert once remarked, ‘Mathematics is the foundation of all exact knowledge of natural phenomena.’ This insight is particularly relevant when discussing resilience and tipping points, as both are deeply rooted in dynamical systems theory. Dynamical systems theory offers a rigorous mathematical framework for understanding complex systems. Thus, a systems perspective is essential for maintaining consistency in how these concepts are defined and applied. Such consistency is crucial for advancing our understanding and improving predictions of real-world systems.