Imagined Future Scenarios
Wildlife Conservation, Probable Futures, Medium Term (3 - 5 years)
Scenario Generated from 'From anxiety to coping: Understanding psychological distance and coping skills for climate change and COVID-19 in 10–12-year-old children' - Plos.org
Future Arc and Implications
Grow Arc
Social Impact: Increased acceptance and appreciation for wildlife leads to higher expectations for conservation efforts in urban planning.
Technological Impact: Further advancements in sound dampening and VR technology enable extensive and seamless urban wildlife corridors.
Ecological Impact: Wildlife populations within cities thrive, but expanding corridors may fragment larger ecosystems outside urban areas.
Economic Impact: Real estate values near corridors increase, driving gentrification and potentially displacing lower-income communities.
Political Impact: Investment in wildlife corridors becomes a marker of progress, driving further expansion and infrastructure projects.
Narrative: Wildlife flourishes in our cities, celebrated as we expand urban development alongside carefully engineered environments.
Collapse Arc
Social Impact: Corridor maintenance neglected due to resource scarcity, leading to safety concerns and reduced public support.
Technological Impact: Breakdown of sound dampening and VR infrastructure renders corridors ineffective and unusable.
Ecological Impact: Wildlife corridors become ecological traps, isolating populations as resources dwindle and environmental stressors increase.
Economic Impact: Property values near neglected corridors plummet, exacerbating economic decline in already vulnerable areas.
Political Impact: Political instability leads to defunding of conservation programs and prioritization of immediate survival needs.
Narrative: As society crumbles, once-promised wildlife havens degrade into dangerous, abandoned spaces, leaving both humans and animals vulnerable.
Discipline Arc
Social Impact: Strict regulations enforced regarding human behavior within and around wildlife corridors to minimize disturbance.
Technological Impact: Advanced surveillance systems monitor corridor use, ensuring compliance with regulations and tracking animal movements.
Ecological Impact: Wildlife movement is carefully managed and monitored to maintain biodiversity and prevent human-wildlife conflict.
Economic Impact: Funding tightly controlled and allocated based on rigorous cost-benefit analysis of corridor effectiveness.
Political Impact: Centralized authority dictates land use policies, prioritizing wildlife corridor maintenance and expansion based on scientific data.
Narrative: A meticulously controlled world where human activity is subservient to a centrally managed plan for balancing urban development and wildlife conservation.
Transform Arc
Social Impact: A shift in consciousness leads to a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all life, driving community involvement in conservation efforts.
Technological Impact: Bio-integrated technologies create fully immersive and mutually beneficial ecosystems within urban spaces.
Ecological Impact: Wildlife corridors become vibrant, self-sustaining ecosystems that blur the lines between natural and urban environments.
Economic Impact: A circular economy focused on ecological restoration generates new economic opportunities and community wealth.
Political Impact: Grassroots movements drive policy changes that prioritize ecological sustainability and community well-being over economic growth.
Narrative: Humanity awakens to its role as a steward of nature, embracing technologies that foster symbiosis between urban life and the natural world.