Guest commentary: Why Europe needs more future competence
We must systematically shape the future - instead of just managing crises, demand Nadine Schön of Govtech Germany and Robert Peters, Director of the Institute for Innovation and Technology.
In 2026, Germany and Europe find themselves in an unusual position: they possess a wealth of knowledge about the world, its dynamics, and potential futures. One would expect this to instill confidence in addressing the challenges of the present. However, skepticism and uncertainty prevail. Many no longer view the future as a malleable possibility, but rather as a succession of overlapping crises whose dynamics are increasingly beyond human control.
This creates an imbalance: societies are filled with descriptions of problems, yet bereft of positive visions. At the core lies an excess of negative future expectations, which erodes collective self-efficacy. Those who believe developments are inevitably heading for the worse are less inclined to take responsibility and actively shape change.
A collective shift in perspective is needed: away from the question "What can we prevent right now?" and towards "What do we want to achieve together under changed conditions?" To adopt this perspective, more future competence is required in politics, economy, and society: the ability to systematically analyze possible developments and solution approaches, to identify opportunities early, and to co-create shared visions of the future.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
