Understanding and shaping the future

The COVID-19 crisis is having a devastating impact – both in terms of lives lost and economic disruption. At Forum for the Future, we believe that it would be tragic to go back to yesterday’s “business-as-usual”; moments of radical disruption like this provide unprecedented opportunities to reinvent the future.

As we look forward we know that we will be (or already are) experiencing pivotal moments of political, social, environmental, technological and economic change - which have the potential to shift our global systems either towards – or further away from – sustainability.

Our Future of Sustainability 2020 report which was originally scheduled for publication in May has now been postponed to September 2020. In it we will be looking at identifying, mapping and exploring the highly dynamic areas that are set to influence the way the world works over the next 10 years, as well as a series of trajectories that suggest what the future forward from this radical moment of disruption might be. Read about our map of dynamic areas.

We introduced the map and the trajectories in a recent webinar COVID-19 and the Coming Decade's Dynamic Areas. You can watch the recording in case you missed it.

There are also a number of webinars that will follow in this series so stay tuned - view all of our upcoming events or sign up for the Forum for the Future newsletter to receive additional updates.

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WE'RE BUILDING A NEW FUTURES CENTRE

Development work on a new Futures Centre website is making progress and we're planning to re-launch in August 2020. The upgraded site will provide greater interactivity and opportunities to be part of signal spotting and making sense of what we are seeing, and will serve as a vital resource for those looking to understand how the decisions they make today will affect the future.

Visit the temporary Futures Centre

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Latest signals of change

Cities pledge not to return to business as normal
Spotted by Joy Green, Anna Warrington

Read now

The demand for sustainable lifestyles booms in the Western hemisphere
Spotted by Rodrigo Bautista

Read now

Government loan to Air France comes with sustainability strings attached
Spotted by Madhu Ardhanari

Read now

Centralised vs. decentralised contact-tracing apps divide the world
Spotted by Joanie Koh

Read now

Cycling in the UK is set to radically increase after lockdown
Spotted by Natalya de Lance-Holmes

Read now

Home office set to become the new normal
Spotted by Maria Powazka

Read now

Webinar invitation

Growing our Future: Scaling Regenerative Agriculture in the US
25 June 2020

Agriculture sits at the nexus of some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Read our latest report Growing our Future and join this webinar to understand your organization’s role in scaling regenerative agriculture in the United States.

In case you missed it...

BUILDING THE FUTURE OF FOOD DURING CRISIS

The protein system is changing. With the massive rise in interest in plant-based foods, it is clear that how we produce and consume protein has entered the public consciousness. But will the current trajectory of business action deliver sustainable protein in time? Read Have we lost sight of a sustainable future for food?, view the full report The Future of Food or watch the recording of our recent webinar to find out if the excitement in sustainable protein adds up to a future-fit food system.

And finally

The world is changing more rapidly than ever. Join a global movement of people spotting signals of change to help see what sustainable action is needed. Share what you find with us using the hashtag #signalofchange on Twitter and Instagram, or by tagging @forumforthefuture on Facebook. You can also submit your signals of change via this form on the Forum for the Future website.

#signalofchange