FutureScape #13 – Grand Global Challenges
In this Issue:

1. Convention 2020 – Launch of Pathfinder Report

2. Special Offer on InnoTown Innovation Conference 2010

3. Grand Global Challenges

4. Rohit on the Road

5. About Fast Future

6. Forthcoming Dates for your Diary

7. Republishing FutureScape Content

Welcome to the latest issue of FutureScape. I hope you enjoy it.

If you would like to subscribe to our newsletter, please sign up here.

Rohit Talwar
CEO
Fast Future
Tel +44 (0)20 8830 0766

rohit@fastfuture.com

1. Convention 2020 – Update

On May 25th we launched a ‘Pathfinder Report’ and press release providing a short trailer for the next major project report to be issued in July 2010. The report examines external and internal industry factors shaping the agenda for the sector over the next ten years and highlights some of the resulting strategic challenges and choices for business leaders in the industry. You can download the ‘Pathfinder’ report and its associated press release as well as the March 2010 survey results – additionally, you can also sign up to receive the Convention 2020 newsletter and future project report announcements.

If you would like to host a CEO and decision maker workshop to explore the implications of the emerging findings of the study, please contact rohit@fastfuture.com.

2. Special Offer – 35% FutureScape Reader Discount for ‘Blown Away’ – InnoTown Innovation Conference 2010 – Alesund Norway June 9th-10th 2010

As a keynote speaker for this years’ InnoTown conference, the organisers have very kindly agreed to give our readers an exclusive discount of over 35% on the price of attending. With over 400 attendees from around the world, the event is one of the leading global business innovation conferences. It is targeted at leaders and innovators who want to “open up to the new opportunities that lie beyond the traditionally tried and tested. The aim is to move people’s minds, both rationally and emotionally; to inspire and enhance creativity and innovation, to help motivate people to think new thoughts and dare to fail – to succeed. The conference emphasises innovation, vision, inspiration, strategy, creativity, promotion and internationalisation.”

Places are available to our readers at an exclusive rate of NOK 8407 (NOK 6,725 + 25% VAT) (Approximately US$1,300; 1062 Euros). To book please contact Cecilie With cecilie@innotown.com Phone + 47 70 13 95 00.

Please forward the details on to anyone who might be interested.

3. Grand Global Challenges

Despite the immediate issues we face as a planet, current challenges are often the result of our past choices, so we think it’s time to start thinking about what some might call ‘the far future’. Over the last year we’ve been fortunate to have been asked to undertake a number of studies, consultancy projects and speeches that go well beyond the 5-10 year timeframe to look further into the future at 20-50 year time horizons. These studies have covered topics as diverse as:

This research has inspired us to think about what questions and challenges we’d like to table for the next G20 gathering in Seoul later this year. We know they’ll be pre-occupied with some pressing immediate issues around the global economic recovery, the risk of sovereign debt contagion and regulation of the global financial system. So on their behalf, we have been thinking about what longer term challenges we’d most like them to give some thought to. Listed below is a ‘starter for 10’ – we’ll add to the list of ideas in future issues.

What we’d most like to hear are your thoughts on Global Grand Challenges – what should we be taking seriously right now? We’ll compile the thoughts received and generated by us into a survey which we’ll use to generate a prioritised list that we’ll share with all our readers – who knows someone who works for a G20 leader might just be a reader and pass them on! So here are our first 10 challenges framed as questions for discussion:

1. Political governance – What are the appropriate range of governance models to ensure transparency, representation and citizen engagement in the digital age.

2. Management of the global economy – Learning the lessons from Greece, do countries need to be audited in the same way as companies? Can we see a single global currency within the next 20-50 years – if so what would the convergence road map look like? What models of economic management are appropriate for the turbulent era we now face – is growth a given?

3. Financial system risk and innovation – What is an acceptable level of risk in the global financial industry in return for the innovation and growth that the sector seeks to deliver?

4. Regulating science and technology – Given the pace of development in and our growing dependence on science and technology – how do we ensure consistency of global decision making around regulation and help the non-expert citizen understand the ethics, risks and opportunities of each new set of developments that could touch our lives?

5. Efficient energy experimentation – Can we find efficient collaborative international approaches to experimenting with new energy sources that take us beyond debate to finding effective ways of testing options on a large (e.g. city-wide) scale?

6. Tolerance of hardship – We know challenges such as poverty, malnutrition and poor infrastructure exist today in both the developed and developing world alike. We know they are impacted by our decisions on a daily basis and eradication seems an unlikely scenario in the next 20-30 years. So what’s an ‘acceptable level of hardship in our societies’ – what are we willing to live with?

7. Language education – What languages should our children be learning – should developed and developing nations make Mandarin, Hindi and English compulsory for all school children?

8. Environment 3.0 – Can we develop a smarter, less debate-heavy, multi-speed, multi-tiered approach to managing global resources and tackling climate change that enable developing economies move at a faster pace – albeit slower than their more developed neighbours?

9. An ageing society – How can we fund and house an ageing global population – what are the implications for structures in the family, society and the workplace.

10. Conflict management – Can we develop ‘out of the box’ solutions for resolving conflicts in the 21st century that avoid the loss of life, social strife and economic disruption that result from current approaches? For example, could wars and disputes be fought out in computer simulations refereed by the UN?

We will expand this list in future issues, but as mentioned above – we’d really like to hear your descriptions of grand global challenges you’d like to see our leaders addressing. We look forward to seeing your thoughts. Please contact us with your suggestions.

4. Rohit on the Road

In the coming weeks, Rohit will be delivering keynote speeches on new approaches to strategy, ‘seeing round corners’, the next 50 years, the future of construction, Convention 2020, foresight driven innovation, financing future infrastructure, new business models, the future of events, winning in a downturn, the future of the global economy, drivers of change, outlook 2020 and a number of industry focused themes.

He is currently scheduled to be in London, Glasgow, Porto, Budapest, Barcelona, Delhi, Niagara Falls, St. Louis, Orlando, Las Vegas, Melbourne, Hyderabad, Seoul, Oslo, Stavanger and Alesund (Norway).

If you would like to meet with him or organise a speech for your organisation while he is in your city, please contact rohit@fastfuture.com

5. About Fast Future

Fast Future is a research and consulting firm which focuses on helping clients anticipate and develop innovative responses to the forces, patterns of change and ideas shaping the future. To discuss your needs for research, consulting, a speech or workshop, contact rohit@fastfuture.com or call +44 (0)20 8830 0766

6. Forthcoming Dates for your Diary

7. Republishing FutureScape Content

A number of people have asked to re-publish our content in their magazines, blogs, websites and newsletters. We are happy for you to do this – if you want to republish any articles, please acknowledge the source, provide a link back to our website and let us know you’ve done it.