I see the following dynamic streams in the future development of our world (i.e., world = the dynamic system that represent the planet, environment, and humanity):
The role of religion, spiritual values and norms will increase in the years to come. This will not have much to do with the various sorts of religious institutions there are, however, unless these succeed to transform and embrace gender equality, social justice and innovation.
People will more and more want to be guided by religion in their day-to-day lives and decision making. More and more they will construct their own religion(s) though, rather than follow the ones that have been written. As much as they will appreciate the existing religions, they will also recognise their insufficiency. A world awaits where all religions fuse together to provide people with the spiritual guidance and answers they seek and need.
Sustainability and sustainable development will continue to be one of the most topical issues on the world’s plate today (the other ones being peace and security). The businesses that will win will generate sustainability from the heart of their organisations, and pursue sustainability as an opportunity for increased revenues.
Governments will provide more and more frameworks for business and society to embrace environmental sustainability, however a major challenge will lie in operationalising these frameworks.
Whilst richer countries will struggle to reinvent their entire systems and integrate sustainability and environmental preservation in them, poorer countries will be torn between 1) adopting sustainability as core to their systems and 2) pursuing development solutions that lift people from poverty in the short term but are unsustaianble in the long run.
What is more, strong religion and sustainable systems underlying life on our planet will be accompanied by increased connection and collaboration within communities and across geographies. Solutions to pressing issues such as security, hunger, disease, justice, and the gender gap, will be the result of multi-stakeholder collaboration at every level – global, regional, local.
Innovation will take place in social spaces especialy designed for this purpose, such as hubs, communities of practice, and groups like the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Councils. Agents of change will emerge and lead projects and initiatives beneficial to society and the environment.
With ecosystems often inadvertently changing, our bodies will change too. More and more people will live in polluted cities which will lead to gradual structural changes to our bodies.
In addition, the increased pace and connectedness of our lives, and the fact that we are bombarded with information, will mean changes in our brain capacity, minds and spirit. Children will learn faster than we used to. More and more of them will be born with the ability to sense the state of the dynamic systems that we are part of, and rebel against old structures that are no longer viable.
Some animal species will disapear, although not as many as we fear at present. The majority of those that will stay though will be in decreased numbers and as a result evolve in order to adapt.
For biodiversity to survive, human consumption will have to decrease. Currently, this trend is at a tipping point. It is not yet clear how it will tip.
What do you think about these trends? Are these all? What else?
Thank you.
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