The document discusses insights about the world in 2020 from a cross-disciplinary programme called The Future Agenda. The programme brings together global experts to address challenges facing the next decade. It outlines 20 insights on topics like global connectivity, Asian economic influence, dense urbanization, access to information, food supply and demand, pandemics, transportation, luxury markets, digital identity, money, waste, water scarcity, knowledge economies, telehealth, and urban poverty. The document encourages readers to get involved by joining parallel global discussions on the insights and challenges outlined.

1. 20 Insights for 2020
20 I i ht f 2020

2. Context of Programme
Context of Programme
The Future Agenda is cross‐discipline programme which aims to unite the best
h d d l h h h b
minds from around the globe to address the greatest challenges of the next
decade. In doing so, it is mapping the major issues, identifying and discussing
potential solutions, suggesting the best ways forward and, we hope, as a
consequence, will provide a platform for collective innovation at a higher level
than has been previously been achieved.
p y
The Future Agenda programme is bringing together a wide audience of global
expertise, in order to gain a clearer vision of the future in a dynamic and
accelerated manner and to collaboratively address the key challenges we all face
between now and 2020.
Here are 20 of the key insights we have gained so far about the world in 2020

3. Global Connectivity
In 2010 the number of mobile subscribers reaches 4bn.
By 2020 there may well be as many as 50bn devices connected to each other.
Everything that can benefit from a network connection will have one.

4. Less Choice
Fewer choices provide higher levels of satisfaction: We can see consumers making
a trade‐off between variety and cost: Cost is winning and, as Asian consumers
set the global trends, we will be focused on less variety not more.

5. Asian EURO
The introduction of a broad‐basket ACU (Asian Currency Unit) as the third
global reserve currency will provide the world with the opportunity to
more appropriately balance economic influence and trade.

6. Virtual Authenticity
Virtual identity and physical identity are not the same thing,
and they differ in ways that we are only beginning to take on board.
By 2020 this difference will disappear.

7. Dense Cities
As urban migration increases globally, seen through the lens of efficiency, more densely
populated cities such as Hong Kong and Manhattan are inherently more sustainable places
to live that the distributed options found in the likes of Houston and Mexico City.

8. Open Access
Access to information is the great leveller. As we become more comfortable sharing
our search histories and locations, more relevant information will be provided
more quickly and the power of innovation shifts to the public.

9. Less Energy
The days of ‘easy energy’ are over. However, as CO2 capture yields no revenues
without government support, global emissions will only be reduced by
fundamental changes in behaviour – for us all to use less energy.

10. Feeding the World
We are in a world of paradox where a growing portion of the developed world is obese at
the same time as 15% of the global population is facing hunger and malnutrition.
Technology to improve food yield will be accelerated to balance supply and demand.

11. Food Markets
In the next decade, the world economics of food will change and food will
change the economics of the world. Decisions on where and what to produce will be made
on a global basis not by individual market or geography.

12. Global Pandemics
Between now and 2020 we are likely to see somewhere between 2 to 3 global pandemics.
These will arise in areas that do not have the top tier of preventative or public health
infrastructure and rapidly spread to developed Western countries.

13. Trains in China
China is now the pacesetter for change in inter‐urban transport and is investing over $1
trillion in expanding its rail network to 120,000km by 2020 – the second largest public works
program in history. China is rapidly reshaping its landscape around train services.

14. Slow Luxury
The luxury market buyers increasingly want ‘better not more’. They will move away from
Bling Bling to have items that are visually more discreet and will increasingly want to
position themselves as being more responsible. Slow Food will spread across markets.

15. Homogeneous Identities
We are likely to move more quickly and more widely towards an integrated identity
for work and social interaction. We will no longer compartmentalise our lives
but the integrated ‘me’ and ‘you’ will be how we see each other and interact.

16. Digital Money
It is the means of exchange of money that is most immediately subject
to the pressure of rapid technological change. Digital money transfer
via our mobile phones will be the default by 2020.

17. Zero Waste
Global waste production is predicted to double over the next twenty years. Much of this will
be due to increased urbanisation emerging economic growth. A shift towards the
zero waste society is a desperate global need that will accelerate in the next decade.

18. Water Wars
Today over 6.6bn people share the same volume of water that 1.6bn did a hundred years
ago. As population and economies grow and diets change we need more of this scarce
resource. This will be the decade that we fight wars over water not oil.

19. Flattening World
As income increases in India, China, Brazil, and elsewhere, growth in demand for skilled
services will occur disproportionately in these emerging economies. Combined with
more global networks, this will lead to income stagnation in ‘established’ economies.

20. Commoditised Knowledge
Education will become increasingly industrialized ‐ broken into small, repeatable tasks
and thus increasingly deskilled. As a consequence, the industrialization of information
work is certain, and this will affect pretty much every business.

21. Global Tele‐Health
The drive towards personalized treatments will be matched by a greater focus on
prevention. By delivering healthcare content to the individual’s handset,
mobile phone technology can help to maintain wellness.

22. Urban Poverty
The nature of economic activity in cities seems to be leading to a greater degree of urban
poverty as in‐migration and the move to the knowledge society favour the educated and
the nimble and drive the gap between the rich and poor wider.

23. Getting Involved
Getting Involved
Sixteen parallel global discussions are all underway:
People from around the world are adding their views.
The more who join in the better the debate and
everyone who participates can use all the insights.
Take a look, see what others
are saying ‐ add your comments and share your views.
www.futureagenda.org