PUBLICATIONS ON SUSTAINABILITY

Geoengineering for Decision Makers

In November 2011 the Science and Technology Innovation Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars released “Geoengineering for Decision Makers,” authored by IAF Senior Fellow Bob Olson. The report, which received attention from the New York Times, deals with governance issues and concerns involved in developing and using geoengineering technologies being considered to counter global climate change, offering recommendations for decision makers. It puts forth a moral case for pursuing R&D as insurance against a tipping point for runaway climate change, positing that policy makers should not have to choose between dangerous climate change and full scale deployment of poorly researched, untested technologies. The report and a webcast of its launch are available here.

The Future of Microfinance Impact Assessment

IAF vice president Eric Meade presented a paper on the future of microfinance impact assessment at a conference in Glasgow to celebrate the 70th birthday of Prof. Muhammad Yunus, who was in attendance.  Click here for the paper.

Foresight for Smart Globalization: Accelerating & Enhancing Pro-Poor Development Opportunities

With support from the Rockefeller Foundation, IAF convened a workshop of futurists from around the world to explore opportunities for implementing foresight focused on pro-poor solutions in the global South.  Click here for the summary report.

Trends Shaping Transportation's Future

This report reviews trends and emerging developments that may shape the future of transportation.  It reviews many examples of potential developments, from sharply rising oil prices and trends toward Smart Growth to aging, communication substitutions/inducements for travel, and intelligent vehicles and transportation systems.  The report was published in the Journal of Futures Studies (JFS).  Click here to view the report.

Food 2028: Key Forecasts

IAF prepared a white Paper for strategic communications firm Fleishman-Hillard on important trends and the future of nutrition. This paper identifies some of the key forces driving change in the industry and develops forecasts for the next two decades out to 2028. Click here to read the paper.

Environmentalism & the Technologies of Tomorrow

While future environmental challenges are large, the opportunity for change in society and technology has never been greater. Edited by IAF Senior Fellow Robert Olson and David Rejeski, director of the Foresight and Governance Project at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Environmentalism & The Technologies of Tomorrow: Shaping the Next Industrial Revolution discusses how we can shape the technologies of today to deal with the environmental problems of the future

Has Futurism Failed?

Has Futurism Failed? is an article writted by IAF Senior Fellow Robert Olson and David Rejeski, director of the Foresight and Governance Project at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Published in The Wilson Quarterly, the article discusses the history and current state of futurism. Click here to read the article.