Looking for a positive future perspective (part 1)

May 2024

Talking about the need to  offer desirable future prospects for all people and places in Europe, the new trends report published by the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS) in April makes dire reading. ‘Trends to 2040: Choosing Europe's Future (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)’ is the result of a collaborative effort involving nine EU institutions, reflecting a broad consensus on the strategic foresight needed to navigate the complexities of the future.

The ESPAS report provides insights into the global trends that will shape the Europe’s strategic environment over the next two decades. It explores the evolving geopolitical landscape, the implications of demographic shifts, and the urgency of environmental issues, among others. By examining these trends, the report wants to equip policy makers with the foresight necessary to make informed decisions that will steer Europe towards a stable, prosperous, and sustainable future. The report also makes one wonder as to what degree the trends and strategic choices discussed affect European cohesion as they mean different things to different places.

In two blog posts, we look at the trends and the strategic choices that could define Europe's trajectory towards 2040, highlighted in the report. This first blog post reflects on geopolitical realignment, economic shifts and technological innovations and digital transformation, and environmental urgencies.