Embracing Global Foresight. Scaling up tools and methods

In the dynamic field of global foresight and horizon scanning, my journey unfolds through the lens of regional workshops. Building on the experience of supporting the development of the EU Strategic Foresight Report 2023 by enabling an interplay between sustainability transitions and foresight, we have developed a methodology that resonates at the global level. The UNEP Foresight team, together with the EU Policy Lab at the Joint Research Centre, the International Science Council, GRID-Warsaw and the Copernicus Science Centre, held a regional European Foresight workshop on 24-25 October to explore scenarios for planetary health and human well-being. Six workshops will be held in each of the UNEP regions in 2023.

My contribution does not end here but is a commitment to methodological development. I am now supporting each region to adapt the methodology to their own context. Each workshop becomes a melting pot for ideas converging into a powerful elixir of foresight. By incorporating cultural nuances into the fabric of the regional workshops, I am challenging myself to redefine how foresight is perceived and embraced. It’s about turning challenges into stepping stones and transforming uncertainties into opportunities.

The results of the foresight exercise will feed into The UNEP Global Report to be published in 2024. This report will be supplemented by region-specific information from the individual regional workshops. We also expect the lessons learnt from this cross-regional foresight will lead to new scientific insights and actionable knowledge to feed into the Future Summit in September 2024.