I’ve been meaning to become more systematic in sharing the interesting projects and reports we come across in conversation and travels… This is intended to be the first of a weekly note to friends and colleagues, so look out for the next one on Latin America futures and SDGs next week.
DCDC Publishes ‘Global Strategic Trends: The future starts today’ (sixth edition)
The big news this week is the launch of the sixth edition of “Global Strategic Trends: The Future Starts Today”. Published by Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC), the publication describes a future context for defence and security out to 2050. It makes for comprehensive, valuable material for many organisations embarking on trends work. We feel particularly proud, since the name for the report came to the head of the unit while he was attending SOIF2018. Plus, members of our team have supported DCDC on Latin America, Arctic and education trends in their research over the past few years.
‘The good operation’: an operational policy handbook crystallising the main lessons from the 2016 Iraq Inquiry Report
The GST6 report is timely given UK’s defence community recent focus on the importance of futures given “a key Chilcott theme was exercising foresight” After the release of the Iraq Inquiry Report, the Chilcot Checklist was created to aid decision-making during both planning and implementation. These principles have been operationalised in the “The Good Operation” handbook. It is designed to prompt its readers to ask the right questions as they plan for and execute a military operation, drawing in particular on the lessons of the Chilcot Report. There is a heavy focus on the importance of using scenarios to explore options.
Foresight in local communities: An inspirational instant report on the “Inquiry” stage of Alternative UK’s collaboratory process of citizen networks
For those of us who believe that foresight and futures are critical activities for local communities, see this inspirational instant report on the “Inquiry” stage of Alternative UK’s collaboratory process of citizen networks, with the communities of South Devon and Plymouth. The Alternative UK ran a foresight 2058 What’s Possible? and How can you imagine responding to it? exercise. The Inquiry gathered attendees who wished to come together to reinvent citizenship and reimagine politics, through a celebration of local power.
On the Future: An Interview with Martin Rees
A man always worth watching. Lord Martin Rees — the celebrated cosmologist, astrophysicist and futurist — spoke about his recent book “Future: Prospects for Humanity” in a recent podcast. In this book, Rees outlines the existential threats facing the planet, which include climate change, nuclear war and artificial intelligence.
Futures week: a historic landmark for Bolivia
This has been a UK-focused week – but next week, we will look at interesting foresight innovation and activity in Latin America, given my participation at the CEPAL conference on Latin American experiences on foresight and SDGs. In the meantime, take a look at FuturesWeek in Bolivia hosted in Santa Cruz Under the guidance of international futurists, spaces for analysis and co-creation were created and opened to youth, business and government leaders, with the mission of transforming Santa Cruz, around 2030, into a model city: friendly and sustainable.