The future is not what it used to be. In this volatile era, with the
world changing rapidly, people are more curious than ever to know what
lies ahead.
Will relentless consumerism end up destroying our planet? Or can science
and technology allow us to innovate our way out of trouble? Perhaps a
greater social consciousness and community-based living will take over
or, conversely, the competition for limited resources may result in
everyone fighting for themselves.
Drawing on these four possible futures, Richard Watson and Oliver
Freeman invite us to examine critically the risks and opportunities to
come. They discuss the key factors, trends, critical uncertainties, and
wildcards that will shape the future, guiding us to a greater awareness
of long-term problems and possible solutions and empowering us not only
to adapt to what might happen, but also to shape our future and to
generate change.
It s impossible to know for certain what the future holds, but we can
remove some of its surprises by engaging in a meaningful debate about
the choices we face now.
This book shows us how.
