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The Future Trends Report Wales 2021 brings together possible future trends, drivers of change and potential risks across all sectors comprising the wellbeing of Wales. The report highlights intergenerational challenges to which Wales needs to respond and identifies key social, economic, environmental, and cultural trends challenges that could affect Wales in the future. The report covers four big drivers of change: People and Population, Inequalities, Planetary Health and Limits and Technology.
The Future Trends Report is a key part of the Well-being of Future Generation Wales Act and is designed for public bodies, Public Services Boards, and town and community councils. The report considers the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021 and the report of the UN Economist Network Shaping the Trends of Our Time (2020). Further reports influencing the Future Trends report are The Future Generations Report 2020 the Auditor General for Wales’ examinations and the Three Horizons Toolkit.
The Future Trend Report is in line with the emerging practice of Futures studies identifying challenges of future generations in Wales. Cardiff University published a research paper exploring ways of “enhancing the voice of future generations in public policy in Wales”. A National Development Framework for Wales, Future Wales: the national plan 2040 was developed in 2019 and has identified future challenges and opportunities. The Better Futures Wales Project encourages participants across three communities in Wales to imagine desired futures and to develop implementation plans. On the global level, a report by the School of International Futures provides guidance for effective systemic foresight for governments.
The Futures Trends Report together with the national milestones and indicators are three important parts of the Well-being of Future Generations that together provide a mechanism for monitoring national progress towards the seven Well-being goals.
Link
- Future Trends: 2021 official governmental page
