Global Shield Briefing (10 April 2025)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). Sometimes, we need to take a step back. Look at, nay, stare down existential and catastrophic risk with a bit more distance. Like David sizing up his giant opponent before slinging his shot. Fortunately, two upcoming books might help. In Existential Hope, Dr SJ […]
Global Shield Briefing (18 March 2025)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). Why now? Global catastrophic risk is seemingly rising faster than ever. Tipping points might be fast approaching. Not just climate disruptions, but also ecological collapse, severe bacterial and fungal infectious diseases, an intelligence explosion, poisoned information ecology, political polarization, economic fragility, tensions between nuclear-armed […]
Global Shield Briefing (18 February 2025)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). Benjamin Franklin’s contributions are innumerable. Across science, politics, diplomacy and writing. His mark is still felt. So you’d be forgiven for overlooking an early achievement: successfully advocating for fire safety. Early 18th century Philadelphia, with its narrow streets, densely packed wooden buildings and open […]
Global Shield Briefing (29 January 2025)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). Short-termism. An oft-cited foe when discussing how to influence policymakers on global catastrophic risk. Economic challenges. Electoral processes. Media cycles. Having policymakers zoom out and think about ‘the long term’ seems, to most people, to be a massive hurdle for change. It’s a false […]
Global Shield Briefing (2024 holiday special)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). When it comes to worst-case scenarios, four big threats tend to dominate the discussion: nuclear war, climate change, pandemics and artificial intelligence. Once in a while, someone in the back raises their hand to call out threats from above, like asteroids. Other times, volcanologists […]
Global Shield Briefing (4 December 2024)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). There are various ways to describe the process of looking back after an event to draw out insights. In a military context, you might refer to it as an after-action review. In a policy context, perhaps you can refer to it as a policy […]
Global Shield Special Briefing: A preliminary government assessment of global catastrophic risk
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). On 30 October, the RAND Corporation released an assessment of existential and global catastrophic risk. It is an extensive and lengthy treatment of six catastrophic threats: nuclear war, climate change, pandemics, artificial intelligence, asteroid or comet impacts, and supervolcanoes. This report is particularly important […]
Global Shield Briefing (23 October 2024)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). A Trojan princess, blessed with the gift of prophecy, has her true warnings unheeded, to the downfall of her city. A shepherd boy, restless with boredom, has his false warnings heeded, to the downfall of his herd. Cassandra and The Boy Who Cried Wolf […]
Global Shield Briefing (2 October 2024)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). Homo sapiens became a formidable species not only due its ability to learn and adapt. It was due to its ability to transfer that knowledge from generation to generation. Individual intelligence became collective memory. Through oral stories, and later, the written word, our ancestors […]
Global Shield Briefing (11 September 2024)
The latest policy, research and news on global catastrophic risk (GCR). You look out from the ship’s bridge, scanning the stormy seas, seeking the horizon hidden by ominous storm-clouds, as waves crash against the hull. You must navigate through these turbulent times. Prepared for rough conditions, you adjust course and marshal your resources, knowing full-well […]