Category: Nexus

Polycrisis Center

The news these days presents us with an ever-growing list of global disasters. It feels like we are drowning. Polycrisis is a relatively new term that refers to these risks and, importantly, how they are interconnected. Some global risks that have developed in just the past few months are the war in the Middle East, … Continue reading Polycrisis Center →

Water, Peace, and Security e-learning course

I've written a number of posts about the Water, Peace, and Security (WPS) organization. (See: https://polycrisis.center/?s=water+peace+security ). The previous post was about Niger, one of the countries targeted by the Frexus project that WPS is involved with, relating to the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus. (See: https://www.water-energy-food.org/frexus-improving-security-and-climate-resilience-in-a-fragile-context-through-the-water-energy-food-nexus ) To help understand the polycrisis of water, energy and … Continue reading Water, Peace, and Security e-learning course →

Global Shockwave and Fear

The consequences of relentlessly increasing greenhouse gases are suddenly appearing and being felt globally. Across the world, air temperatures are reaching lethal levels. These levels of heat are exacerbating drought, wildfires, storms, flooding, and melting ice. Even environmentalists are shocked by the extent of these sudden changes. And people are beginning to understand these changes … Continue reading Global Shockwave and Fear →

Entering A New Phase of Climate Change

Unprecedented changes need a new vocabulary to describe them. New terms I've been learning include wicked problems, civilizational emergency, polycrisis, and nexus. Less than four years ago I first learned about Mutual Aid. Being part of Des Moines Mutual Aid has significantly changed my life for the better. Provides hope that even as we are … Continue reading Entering A New Phase of Climate Change →

The Real Hope

It's easy to feel hopeless about our current circumstances. And discouraged since there are many urgent problems that will only worsen. This is the final post I'll write about the excellent article, Navigating the Polycrisis-Life in Turbulent Times, by Michael Lerner, which concludes by writing about the real hope. We can hold the ultimate hope—the real … Continue reading The Real Hope →

Mutual Aid, Polycrisis, Shelter

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), there were an estimated 580,466 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2020, a 2.2% increase from the previous year. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem, as many people lost their jobs, income, and housing stability due to the economic and … Continue reading Mutual Aid, Polycrisis, Shelter →

Polycrisis and Mutual Aid 2

One reason I'm researching polycrisis is that I am aware of how this relates to Mutual Aid (See: Polycrisis and Mutual Aid). But that awareness was in the background. I needed to learn more about polycrisis first. Silos One way to visualize systems at risk is to see each system as separate from the others, … Continue reading Polycrisis and Mutual Aid 2 →

Water, Peace and Security (WPS)

Thus far the discussion about the FREXUS project has been about the Water, Energy & Food Security Resource Platform (https://www.water-energy-food.org/) https://www.water-energy-food.org/ Water Water is the resource whose availability can change rapidly, and have immediate and dire consequences when it is scarce. The Water, Peace and Security (WPS) partnership was created to add to the understanding … Continue reading Water, Peace and Security (WPS) →