Futures Thinking and Strategic Foresight for Climate-Resilient and Inclusive Urban Development

This participatory in-person session will explore how integrating futures thinking and strategic foresight into urban planning processes can help anticipate future trends, challenges, and opportunities, enabling cities to adapt to changes and plan for resilient, sustainable, and inclusive cities that are better prepared for long-term uncertainties. This event is jointly organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), UN Futures Lab, and UN-Habitat.

Why is strategic foresight critical for effective urban planning and project preparation, and how can it transform city governance? What challenges do cities of varying sizes face in accessing and applying strategic foresight tools, and how can these challenges be overcome? What does participatory foresight mean in the context of urban development? What role should cities play in driving the future global agenda, and how can strategic foresight facilitate this leadership?

Futures thinking and strategic foresight in urban development are critical for cities anticipating and navigating the complex challenges of the future, such as demographic shifts, climate change, and resource management. By employing foresight methodologies, cities can proactively envision and shape their development trajectories, leading to more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban environments.

This approach allows for the integration of innovative solutions to address future challenges, such as management of water resources, adaptation to migration trends, and implementation of effective poverty reduction strategies. By fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders, strategic foresight also promotes inclusivity and ensures that future urban policies cater to diverse populations, mitigating risks and maximizing opportunities for all present and future residents.

The event will start with a moderated panel discussion on how cities around the world can apply futures thinking and strategic foresight to plan, prepare for, and mitigate future climate-related and social challenges, showcasing successful case studies from cities that have already begun to incorporate these methods into their urban planning. Following the panel discussion, participants will dive into an interactive and participatory foresight exercise (horizon scanning: trends and drivers of change) to practically experience both the methodologies and the tangible benefits of such approaches, with a particular focus on climate adaptation and waste management.

This session will also explore how the Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations, adopted by the General Assembly at the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024, can be leveraged for insights to urban development. By integrating forward-looking perspectives, it will highlight the critical role of strategic foresight post-Summit, urging cities and stakeholders to take bold action in shaping tomorrow's urban landscapes.