Interventions for

rapid global change

NASA-Earth-PS1800

Interventions for Rapid Global Change

The Cascade Institute is a Canadian research centre addressing converging global crises. We analyze complex global systems to anticipate future crises and identify high-leverage interventions to rapidly shift humanity’s course.

PROJECTS

RESEARCH, NEWS, AND ViEWS

Technical Paper

Global polycrisis: The causal mechanisms of crisis entanglement

Michael Lawrence, Thomas Homer-Dixon, Scott Janzwood, Johan Rockström, Ortwin Renn, and Jonathan F. Donges
This peer-reviewed paper, published in Cambridge University Press's Global Sustainability journal, defines the concept of global polycrisis and provides a theoretical framework to explain causal mechanisms currently entangling many of the world’s crises.
Op-Ed

Canada needs to dig deep to become a world leader in geothermal technology

Rebecca Pearce and Ian Graham

A worldwide race for next-generation geothermal technology has begun – and Canada needs to get serious about joining, lest it fall to the back of the alternative-energy pack.

Globe and Mail

We should listen to a renowned scientist’s warning on climate change

Thomas Homer-Dixon

A vital scientific paper argues that far more warming is “in the pipeline” than conventional models predict, requiring humanity’s response to the climate crisis be much more radical than currently planned.

Polycrisis.org

A hub for the growing polycrisis community

Megan Shipman and Scott Janzwood

The Cascade Institute has launched a new website, Polycrisis.org, to serve as a hub for a more inclusive polycrisis community to converge around a rough consensus on priorities for research and action.

Webinar

Navigating the Polycrisis: From Understanding to Action

Featuring ASRA's Ruth Richardson and IGAD's Ayan Mahamoud
Part one of a two-part online event series aimed at helping individuals from across the globe and a variety of sectors – civil society, governance, academia, grassroots movements, business, journalism, etc. – better understand and respond to the polycrisis.
Webinar

Navigating the Polycrisis: From Research to Practice

Featuring Michael Lawrence and Megan Shipman
A 90-minute webinar exploring key research areas in the emerging field of polycrisis studies, including the causal mechanisms of crisis interactions and the political struggles that will steer different world futures through the polycrisis.
News

Why so much is going wrong at the same time

Thomas Homer-Dixon

Thomas Homer-Dixon argues that the world is in a polycrisis generated by novel and unprecedented conditions, as measured by total human energy consumption, Earth’s energy imbalance, the human population’s total biomass, and global connectivity.

Technical Paper

Deep Geothermal Superpower: Canada’s potential for a breakthrough in enhanced geothermal systems

Ian Graham, Ellen Quigley, Scott Janzwood, and Thomas Homer-Dixon

This opportunity analysis makes the case that Canada can and should become the global leader in ultra-deep geothermal electricity production.

Views

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.