The 'Better Futures Forum' launches today - seize the moment!
The Better Futures Forum : from crisis to opportunity.
The Covid19 pandemic is a historic moment for the world's nations to pause and take stock of where we are, what comes next and how we might want to respond to that.
A key part of that I believe is grappling with reality - facing up to the very real challenge we face in regards to climate, biodiversity loss, resource use and our fragile food system.
As the World Economic Forum concluded as the world was being consumed by the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic:
COVID-19 reflects a broader trend: more planetary crises are coming. If we muddle through each new crisis while maintaining the same economic model that got us here, future shocks will eventually exceed the capacity of governments, financial institutions, and corporate crisis managers to respond. Indeed, the “coronacrisis” has already done so.
“Could Covid-19 give rise to a greener global future?”, World Economic Forum
When I was asked to join the core team behind the Better Futures Forum, I was both humbled and extremely excited. I had just been thinking that what we really needed was 'something' that could bring us together with the best ideas out there to co-create a way forwards towards a more resilient and prosperous future.
Going back to "normal" was not much of a plan frankly, because 'normal' was a crisis - so to be invited to take part in helping facilitate this process was exactly what I felt was needed.
What is the 'Better Futures Forum' I hear you ask?
It's a forum unified by a single objective: to seize this opportunity to transform New Zealand - comprised of people who don’t want to passively look on and hope that others will take up the mantle of leadership and make this change; its people want to connect, empower and influence to ensure it happens.
The BFF's mission is to create broad momentum for a transition towards a more resilient Aotearoa - by focusing on six key areas where environment, people and economy intersect (Land & Water, Infrastructure, Transport, Buildings & Housing, Energy and Economy), but acknowledging that each of these areas interrelate and overlap.
Therefore, joined-up thinking that integrates mātauranga Māori will be critical to how we engage with these key areas.
To get in touch, engage with the forum or just find out more, please visit the site:
http://bff.org.nz
We are in uncharted territory and exciting times are ahead.
The future is a blank canvas and it's high time we show our true colours, and paint something that we can all be proud of.