The times they are a-changin’!
With the 21st century now in full-swing, you can be sure there will be many new developments on the global horizon. And if the last ten years are any indicator, these changes will be swift and significant. Here is Dr. James Canton’s take on what’s in store for us in the next 20 years.
- Roughly half of the world population, some 3 billion people, is under the age of 25.
- Approximately a quarter of the world youth population subsists on less than a dollar a day.
- By 2025, two out of every three people on the planet will live in a water-stressed area, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, eastern Asia, and south-eastern Asia.
- At the same time, technological innovation and globalization will result in more than a billion millionaires by 2025.
- Breakthroughs in genomics and stem-cell therapies will extend the human life- span in the West beyond 150 years, creating new problems.
And, here are Dr. Canton’s top ten trends of The Extreme Future:
- Felling the Future – The energy crisis, the post-oil future, and the future of energy alternatives like hydrogen. The critical role that energy will play in every aspect of our lives in the 21st century.
- The Innovation Economy – The transformation of the global economy based on the convergence of free trade, technology and democracy, driving new jobs, new markets, globalization, competition, peace and security. The Four Power Tools of the Innovation Economy are Nano-Bio-IT-Neuro.
- The Next Workforce – How the workforce of the U.S. is becoming more multicultural, more female and more Hispanic. Why the future workforce must embrace innovation to become globally competitive.
- Longevity Medicine – The key forces that will radically alter medicine such as nanotech, neurotech, and genomics, leading to longer and healthier lives.
- Weird Science – How science will transform every aspect of our lives, culture and economy—from teleportation to nanobiology to multiple universes.
- Securing the Future – The top threats to our freedom and our lives, from hackers to terrorists to mind control. Defining the risk landscape of the 21st century.
- The Future of Globalization – The new realities of global trade and competition; the rise of China and India; the clash of cultures and ideologies; and the cultural-economic battle for the future.
- The Future of Climate Change – How the environment is changing and how we need to prepare for increased global warming, pollution, and threats to biodiversity.
- The Future of the Individual – The risks and challenges from institutions, governments, and ideologies in the struggle for human rights and the freedom of the individual in the 21st century.
- The Future of America – The power of America and its destiny to champion global democracy, innovation, human rights and free markets.
For more information, check out Dr. Canton’s web site at www.theextremefuture.com