Welcome to www.cigionline.org, the online home of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), an independent, nonpartisan think tank dedicated to researching solutions to today’s international governance challenges.
Founded by Jim Balsillie in 2001 and supported by private and public funds, including substantial grants from the Governments of Canada and Ontario, CIGI opened in 2002 on the premise that neither the dangers we face collectively, nor the unprecedented opportunities the world presents us with, are being optimally managed in humanity’s best interests.
Today, more than ever, it has become evident that we need to improve or reinvent the institutions of global and regional governance to cope with complex and constantly changing international challenges such as climate change, financial turmoil, food security concerns and international inequality. In policy circles, it has also become apparent that fresh thinking and new ideas required for such innovation are unlikely to come only from governments, bureaucracies or political parties. Rather, it’s increasingly at international think tanks, such as CIGI, where fresh thinking and innovative approaches to global governance challenges are emerging.
CIGI conducts in-depth research and engages experts and partners worldwide from its extensive networks to craft policy proposals and recommendations that promote change in international public policy. Current research interests focus on international economic and financial governance both for the long-term and in the wake of the 2008-2009 financial crisis; the role of the G20 and the newly emerging powers in the evolution of global diplomacy; Africa and climate change, and other issues related to food and human security.
CIGI’s website provides immediate, easy access to the wealth of our research, publications, events information and media outputs from CIGI’s projects. It includes a searchable experts’ directory which provides links to the individual bio pages of CIGI’s researchers and distinguished practitioners in the field of international governance. Our advanced search functionality and improved access to the CIGI Library greatly facilitates users’ ability to find and retrieve information. The site has been structured so that we can regularly highlight those current and ongoing activities that are integral to the fulfillment of the organization’s mandate. We plan to add material including new multimedia features to the site on an ongoing basis.
It is our hope that CIGIOnline.org will be an indispensable resource for helping citizens and policy makers better understand how to deal with today’s pressing global issues, and that this will lead to more informed, intelligent decisions based on excellence in research. We invite you to explore our pages.