Trends Identified
A new age of discovery for biology - An age of discovery is in prospect for biology, predicts Feng Zhang, neuroscience professor at MIT and co-inventor of CRISPR
In the era of modern science, hardly a week goes by without a big advance in biology. Although such progress will continue in 2018, it will not bring a cure for cancer, a remedy for Alzheimer’s or a pill to slow ageing. That is because biology, as a field, is largely still about exploring and not yet about engineering. Some of the greatest scientific successes of the past century have come by marrying science and engineering, from the Apollo mission to the Large Hadron Collider. Similarly, the Human Genome Project required both basic research and technology development. The disciplines at the heart of these successes—mathematics, engineering, and material and computer sciences—have propelled the technology economy, giving rise to nearly all of the most dominant companies in the world today.
2018
The world in 2018
The Economist
Architecting resilience: “Built to survive failure” becomes the mantra of the nonstop business
In the digital era, businesses must support wide-ranging demands for nonstop processes, services, and systems. This has particular resonance in the office of the CIO, where the need for “always-on” IT infrastructure, security, and resilient practices can mean the difference between business as usual and erosion of brand value. The upshot: IT must adopt a new mindset to ensure that systems are dynamic, accessible, and continuous—not just designed to spec but designed for resilience under failure and attack.
2014
Accenture Technology Vision 2014
Accenture
Diversifying approaches to governance
In the context of rapid globalisation, governments are facing a mismatch between the increasingly long-term, global, systemic challenges facing society and their more national and short-term focus and powers.
2015
Assessment of global megatrends - an update
European Environment Agency (EEA)
Future smart cities
In the cities of the future, ICT will play a key role in the challenge of ensuring the wellbeing of large numbers of inhabitants. And cities will become smart. Smart cities will empower citizens by simplifying their daily life and providing them with more resources and opportunities, supporting new life styles, social inclusion and involvement in participatory governance. Policies, however, shall not understate the additional pressure on strategic sectors as logistics and transport and new risks and threats related to the large deployment of ICT (cybersecurity, data protection and privacy). 70% of the world population in 2050 will live in a city.
2015
Preparing the Commission for future opportunities - Foresight network fiches 2030
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Old infrastructure, new investments
In the advanced economies, renewed economic vitality will require refurbishing and expanding critical infrastructure, much of which was built more than a half-century ago. But with public finances under strain, the job will increasingly present opportunities for public-private partnerships. In emerging economies, continued infrastructure development will be needed to accommodate growth and lay a foundation for future expansion. Estimated contribution to global GDP by 2020: $1 trillion.
2011
The great eight: Trillion-dollar growth trends to 2020
Bain and Company
Global urbanisation and growing number of megacities
In the 1950s, about 70% of the world’s population lived in rural areas, and the rest in urban settlements. Today, more than half the population (54%) lives in an urban area and this number is projected to reach at least 66% by 2050
2017
Surfing the digital tsunami
Australia, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Launch of payloads into orbit using heavy space preparations and modular carrier rockets
In terms of services to place payloads in orbit there will be some development in the transportation of high-mass space instruments and the volume of payloads and spacecraft will increase by using lighter materials and integrated systems alongside reductions in the negative environmental impact.
2016
Russia 2030: science and technology foresight
Russia, Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation
Infrastructural Deficit
In terms of access to infrastructure services, Africa lags well behind other developing regions. Weak physical infrastructure is a key factor that has prevented African countries from successful integration into the global trading system. Poor infrastructure is behind the higher trade cost that Africa, especially its landlocked countries, face compared with other regions. Poor infrastructure accounts for 40 per cent of transport costs for coastal countries and 60 per cent for landlocked countries. Africa seems to have failed to sustain the gains that were made during the three decades up to 2000. In this respect a number of countries are failing to expand services fast enough to keep up with rapid demographic growth and urbanisation. If the present trends prevail, Africa is likely to fall even further behind other developing regions, delaying universal access for a half century or more in many countries.
2011
Africa in 50 Years’ Time
African Development Bank
Land and water
In spite of the continent’s immense size, pressures on land and water will shape the future. As population pressure increases, it is likely that more land will be cultivated for longer periods of time, reducing vegetative cover, lowering soil fertility and accelerating erosion. Water consumption will increase for each of the major uses - irrigation, domestic and industrial. In sub-Saharan Africa, mean water withdrawals and total water consumption will increase at least up to 2025.
2011
Africa in 50 Years’ Time
African Development Bank
Fine to be fallible - profitiing from an age of epic fails
In societies hard-wired to strive for and venerate success, it may seem counter-intuitive to suggest that competitive advantage lies in publicly sharing our shortcomings. Fine to be Fallible describes a world increasingly at ease with the notion that failure is a necessary pre-requisite of success – and an acceptable consequence of being human. A companion trend to Engineered Empathy, herein lies an opportunity to associate brands with the kaleidoscope of human endeavour and carefully address failings of their own.
2018
Trending 2018
Foresight Factory