[Guest essay] Futures thinking in science fiction
Science fiction tales like Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer" and "The Day After Tomorrow" engage in "futures thinking," which uses present-day facts to create plausible and provocative stories about possible futures. These narratives inspire action in the present to change future outcomes. In September 2024, the UN's Summit of the Future saw a panel of sci-fi writers discussing how their works echo real-world climate issues.
Kim Stanley Robinson's "The Ministry for the Future" imagines a world where solar geoengineering, a controversial climate manipulation technique, is considered when a heat wave kills millions in India. While the practice is generally opposed by scientists, the novel raises important questions about governance and who gets to decide the future.
The climate crisis is worsening, but the transition to renewable energy is happening faster than expected, offering hope for a cooler, more sustainable future.
Written by urgent.news from The Hankyoreh's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
