The 1.5^o C Global Brain Project

Climate change is a “wicked problem,” or even a “super-wicked problem.” A low carbon transition is underway, but it’s not happening fast enough to avoid dangerous climate change, and the likelihood of triggering tipping points with potentially catastrophic consequences is increasing.

The challenges associated with tackling climate change are overwhelming — but so is the available knowledge and global brainpower. A big problem, as suggested by knowledge management guru Carla O’Dell’s quote: “if only we knew what we know,” is that today’s climate knowledge and brainpower is widely and destructively siloed. Imagine overcoming that problem, and collectively mapping out “actionable climate knowledge” to accelerate climate progress. We can!

TheBrain software, and the TeamBrain version of the software in particular, is ideally suited to the kind of collaboration needed to accelerate climate progress. Imagine what could be accomplished by combining the knowledge and networks of even a modest number of climate thinkers. That’s the objective of the 1.5^oC Global Brain Project.

The challenge with such a project is usually just getting it off the ground; it’s hard work and expensive. But in this case, that phase of the project is already behind us via the Climate Web, a copy of which is the foundation for the 1.5^o C Global Brain Project. Built with TheBrain software and representing more than 25,000 hours of climate knowledge curation, the Climate Web is the closest thing to a collective climate change intelligence today. It has been characterized by one user as “like having 100 leading experts in climate science, climate risk, and risk management collaborating with you at the decision-making table,” and by another as “if you were going to train a climate change AI, just point it to the Climate Web.” One way to visualize the Climate Web is as 150,000 climate knowledge LEGO blocks, linked in 700,000 ways, and you can learn more about the Climate Web by right clicking on the New to the Climate Web? link at right. That website serves as an example of the the technology developed by the Climatographers to extract Climate Web material into topic and audience fit-for-purpose “Climate Sites.”

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize, or endorse this website. We use the word LEGO to help visualize information building blocks fitting together to deliver actionable climate knowledge.

By leveraging the Climate Web, Climate Sites, and TeamBrain, the 1.5^o C Global Brain Project can rapidly bridge climate silos, and dramatically expand the ways in which actionable climate knowledge can be explored and delivered.

If you're interested in participating in or supporting the 1.5^o C Global Brain Project, contact the Climatographers: mark@climatographer.com or laura@climatographer.com .

Who Are the Climatographers? Dr. Mark C. Trexler LinkedIn Profile and Laura H. Kosloff LinkedIn Profile have a combined total of more than 50 years of climate change experience. Mark started working on climate change at the World Resources Institute in 1988, launched the first U.S. climate change consulting firm in 1991, was a member of the IPCC when it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. He advised companies, NGOs, and government agencies around the world. Laura is an environmental lawyer with extensive research, litigation, and in-house counsel experience relating to climate change. They co-authored the first business climate risk textbook in 2010.

Based on a long-standing interest in knowledge management as a way to support better decision-making generally, and particularly in the face of The Great Wall challenging climate change decision-making, the Climatographers started building the Climate Web in 2011.