“Future of Natural Resources” is the 24th international Futures Conference – Futures Conference 2024 – organized by the Finland Futures Research Centre and the Finland Futures Academy, University of Turku, Finland, hosting the Helsinki Node of The Millennium Project, in collaboration this year with the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE). The conference will take place in Turku, Finland, on June 13-14, 2024, and will also run an online pre-conference event on June 4, 2024.

The global consumption of natural resources has accelerated since the industrial revolution, in pursuit of development and economic growth. With the emergence of climate and other ecological crises, it is now acknowledged that the rate and patterns of consumption are neither sustainable nor equitable. The vested interests, and related structures of economic and political power, play a central role in maintaining a status quo, characterised by short-term thinking and a priority on profit maximisation. Within these conditions, the perspective of the future of humanity and of the natural world on which we depend is marginalised. These prompts empirical, philosophical, policy and practice-oriented questions. They prompt social and environmental consequences of continuing on this path, on the role and value of nature, and on what would a transformed relationship between humanity and natural resources look like?

The Futures Conference 2024 focuses on the questions of what futures research provides for the sustainable management of natural resources, both in water and the surface of the earth and below. Our gaze may also be directed to space. How can we maintain a good quality of life on earth when we are facing increasing pressures on natural resources? Can technology reduce the current wasteful use of natural resources and how? What kinds of new approaches, through political and ecological economics could be brought to the management of natural resources in the future? What are the new restoration and regeneration approaches in land use, whether we are talking about farming, forestry or, for example, planning urban environments? What kind of novel approaches and solutions could futures research and its methodology offer in the wider societal discussion? 

The conference will be opened virtually online on June 4 by Juha Kaskinen, Helsinki Node Co-Chair. Among the speakers of the event, Jerome Glenn, executive director of The Millennium Project, will give a speech highlighting the implications from ANI (Artificial Narrow Intelligence) evolving into AGI (Artificial
General Intelligence), based on a recent MP Study, and re-thinking the meaning of work following to the results of the Work/Tech 2050 study on June 13, 2024. The speech will introduce The Millennium Project’s Special Session on “Deconstructing Paradoxes of Work through CLA” chaired by Sirkka Heinonen and Osmo Kuusi, Helsinki Node Co-Chairs, including a panel discussion with Mikkel Knudsen, Paula Pättikangas, Amos Taylor, Riku Viitamäki (FFRC), and Lassi Tähtinen (Aalto University). Read more athttps://millennium-project.org/deconstructing-paradoxes-of-work-through-cla-june-13-2024/.

The Foresight Europe Network, one of the regional Networks of The Millennium Project, will also hold an in-person gathering – FEN Summer 2024 Meeting – on June 12, 2024, 2,00-4,00pm. During the event, addressed by Nicolas Balcom Raleigh, FEN President, and Lena Tünkers, FEN Future President, Jerome Glenn, Executive Director of The Millennium Project, and Ibon Zugasti, Deputy Director of the Millennium Project, will give updates on recent activities and upcoming outcomes. For more information, visit https://millennium-project.org/fen-summer-meeting-2024-june-12-2024/.

On June 13, 2024, 3,00-4,30 pm, Tero Villman, Sirkka Heinonen & Laura Pouru-Mikkola, Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku, and Helsinki Node, will introduce a new publication called “Our World of Futures Studies as a Mosaic” published within the Futures Series by the Finnish Society for Futures Studies and available in June. Many from the Millennium Project contributed to this volume, such as Jerome Glenn, Executive Director, Mara Di Berardo, Comms Director & Italy Node Co-Chair, and others. Discover more at https://futuresconference2024.com/2024/05/28/book-launch/.

On the same day, 01,00-4,30 pm, FEN President Nicolas Balcom Raleigh and FEN Futures President Lena Tuenkers will facilitate a session on “Harnessing the natural resource called human curiosity to cultivate knowledge sharing in professional networks” where some participants from past Demo Hours will share their experiences and value gained from the program. Nicolas Balcom Raleigh will also join the session on “Policy instruments and the governance of natural resources” on June 14, 2024, 12:45-2:30 pm, together with Jasona Jabbour, to introduce the topic of “Strategic Foresight for the United Nations: Methodological reflections from implementing a ‘foresight trajectory’ at UN Environment Programme”, and will also facilitate a workshop on “Co-create a Futures Literacy Game Concept – FuLiBRe Pilot 1“, on the same day, 2:45 – 4,30, together with Marty Richards and Leena Jokinen.

On June 14, 2024, Simone di Zio, Italy Node Co-Chair, together with Francesco Pilla and Yuri Calleo, will discuss a new approach on “Spatial-based design scenarios: Analysing spatial complexity combining experts’ judgments” during the session on “Novel methods of analysing data and creating scenarios – Case studies and AI models“, where also Toni Ahlqvist (Helsinki Node Co-Chair) with others will join to illustrate “Scenarios for the Lower Rio Negro, Brazilian Amazonia, 2040”.
Simone Di Zio and Lara Fontanella will also join the session on “Futures research theory and methodology” on the same day, 12:45-2:30 pm, to report on “Methodological innovations in addressing online misogyny: A delphi-based scenario approach”, while Tony Ahlqvist will join the sessions on “Visions for the resilient futures in urban environments“, June 13, 1,00-2,30 pm, to discuss “Participatory foresight processes: Exploring the images of the future of communities in Indonesia’s new capital city”, and on “Transitions towards circular economy and zero carbon societies“, June 13, 2024, 3,00-4,30, to discuss with others the “Transition towards net-zero emissions in marine traffic – reflecting and enriching current visions”.

Again on June 14, 2024, 12:45-2:30 pm, Reyhan Huseynova, Azerbaijan Node Chair, will join the session on the “Paths towards sustainable energy systems” to discuss the “Role of ‘Green Energy’ in reducing the use of natural resources”.

More information about the conference are available at futuresconference2024.com  & read the final program and the book of abstracts.

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The call for abstracts and workshops was closed on January 31, 2024 and invited researchers, practitioners and alike from universities, research institutes, companies, governmental and non-governmental organisations to submit an abstracts (max. 300 words).