Interventions for
rapid global change
Interventions for Rapid Global Change
The Cascade Institute is a Canadian research center that addresses the full range of humanity’s converging environmental, economic, political, technological, and health crises. Using advanced methods to map and model complex global systems, we analyze the interactions between systemic risks, anticipate future crises and opportunities, and develop high-leverage interventions in social systems that could rapidly shift humanity’s course towards fair and sustainable prosperity.
Reports and Technical Papers
What is a global polycrisis?
Michael Lawrence, Scott Janzwood, and Thomas Homer-Dixon
September 16, 2022 • This discussion paper argues that the concept of “global polycrisis” provides a useful framework with which to understand and address major problems afflicting humanity today.
Deep Geothermal Superpower: Canada’s potential for a breakthrough in enhanced geothermal systems
Ian Graham, Ellen Quigley, Scott Janzwood, and Thomas Homer-Dixon
May 27, 2022 • This opportunity analysis makes the case that Canada can and should become the global leader in ultra-deep geothermal electricity production.
A call for an international research program on the risk of a global polycrisis
Thomas Homer-Dixon, Ortwin Renn, Johan Rockström, Jonathan F. Donges, and Scott Janzwood
March 8, 2022 • This paper calls for a research program to investigate this moment’s seemingly sharp amplification, acceleration, and synchronization of systemic risks.
Earth’s polycrisis is no mere illusion
Globe and Mail article by Thomas Homer-Dixon, Michael Lawrence, and Scott Janzwood — The backlash against the "polycrisis" neologism is well under way. But the polycrisis idea can motivate urgent scientific investigation into the architecture of global crisis interaction.
Polycrisis: Why we must turn this meme into a big idea
The Conversation article by Michael Lawrence — The debate around polycrisis is largely a question of whether we really understand the mess we’re in.
What Happens When a Cascade of Crises Collide?
New York Times article by Thomas Homer-Dixon and Johan Rockström — Today’s mess is best understood as a global polycrisis—a term which implies that humanity is dealing with a complex knot of seemingly distinct but actually deeply entangled crises.
Hope and Canada’s Futures: Resilience in a Polycrisis
VIDEO by Thomas Homer-Dixon — In his closing keynote at The Globe and Mail's Future of Canada Series, Thomas Homer-Dixon calls for a National Dialogue on Canada's Futures to help Canada face the emerging global polycrisis.
Every politically feasible pathway to net-zero requires a technological breakthrough
National Observer article by Scott Janzwood — Distrust of new technology runs deep in the climate movement. But we don’t have the critical green technologies we need to get us to net-zero by 2050 — and assuming we do is wishful thinking.
Getting to enough
Presentation by Thomas Homer-Dixon — A graphical illustration of the dilemma that's destroying our world—and how we're going to solve it.
14 lessons for social movement success
Amy Janzwood
January 21, 2022 • This Brief summarizes lessons from the academic literature for building successful social movements. It outlines several core insights with an eye on their practical application for social movements, advocacy campaigns, and their supporters.
Network dynamics of the pandemic shock: Three network shifts and why they matter
Jinelle Piereder
January 11, 2021 • This Brief analyzes three major shifts in humanity’s networks that the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered or accelerated: (1) network centralization, (2) network fragmentation and reconfiguration, and (3) network formation. It then examines the impact of these shifts across economic, food, information, and governance systems.
