Pioneers Lester Brown, David Suzuki, Jonathan Porritt and others say that we are in a race against time. We are living in a small window when we can still affect positive change, have the technology to deliver that change, and could see the benefits of action towards sustainability for the planet. Inaction poses the greatest security threat.
Pioneers Nitin Desai, Bill Ford, Yolanda Kakabadse, Maurice Strong and others, highlight the historic nature of the original Rio Earth Summit, while acknowledging its shortcomings. Rio+20 takes place in June 2012.
The FutureScapes project brings together a range of expert thinkers, designers, futurologists, writers and you – the public – to explore the opportunities and challenges of life in 2025, and to consider the potential contribution that technology and entertainment can make in shaping a better, more sustainable future.
After an extended recession, new priorities of “wellbeing” and “quality of life” are bubbling up across the world as more sustainable forms of living become established. Society’s new values are built on this sustainability, and on stronger community ties. Technology facilitates collaboration at both local and global levels.
Stunned into a belated response by a series of severe climate shocks, governments have taken tough measures to combat climate change, pushing technology to its limits to impose sustainability on the population and provide some relief from restrictions on personal freedom.
This low-carbon world has been created by a rapid and ceaseless process of technological innovation. Lifestyles and business practices have been minimally affected, but against the background of diminishing resources there is growing concern about the long-term sustainability of this “innovation treadmill” approach.
