Electronic Green Journal

There is movement afoot across the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Basin to create a binational vision. As argued by scholars, heightened public awareness and government commitment are coalescing to create a potential spark for transformative change. While this transformation is exigent, it is by no means certain. By examining the question, “what can happen if…” we used scenario building to explore four alternative futures open to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Basin. These futures and the discussions they generate serve as a strategic means to inform the evolution of this new vision. By throwing into relief the undesirable futures possible for this region, we argue for an “activist” agenda calling on all interests to seize this pivotal moment in the history of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence and help turn it from potential collapse to sustainability.