Our Research

The ERA research project is structured around five tasks:

  • Task 1: Analysis of nonlinear biosphere dynamics governing Earth resilience.
  • Task 2: Integrating nonlinear dynamics in World-Earth models.
  • Task 3: Exploring tipping points in social systems for large-scale transformation.
  • Task 4: Backcasting pathways for achieving the SDGs.
  • Task 5: Integrating World-Earth dynamics into online learning and VR games.

overview of the five ERA tasks

Tasks 1 and 3 focus on improving our understanding of tipping points in biophysical and social systems – with special attention to the interactions of the two kinds of systems. Task 2 deals with the technical aspects of improving the capacity of our current suite of models and analysis approaches to deal with nonlinear dynamics that play out globally. Task 4 uses the analytical findings and model outputs from Tasks 1-3 to inform scenarios of the ‘Safe Operating Space for humanity’. And Task 5 consists of our activities that take these emerging scientific insights into decision-making and co-learning contexts.