Exploring the Future of Human and Planetary Security

The Horizon 2045 project, co-developed by Horizon 2045, is a collaboration between N Square, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and the Rhode Island School of Design’s Center for Complexity, with Envisioning providing technical expertise. This radar is part of a strategic effort to analyze pivotal challenges impacting human and planetary security.

Our role centered on structuring complex data and incorporating crowdsourced signals into a visually intuitive format. The radar showcases over 100 signals of change across three future scenarios for 2045, offering an interactive view for stakeholders to better comprehend potential security risks and opportunities. Our work demonstrates how innovative data visualization can empower decision-makers with clearer insights into future risks, enhancing their strategic foresight.

Our Work

• Developed an interactive platform for exploring future security insights.
• Orchestrated multi-stakeholder collaboration and data architecture efforts.
• Showcased 100+ signals shaping human and planetary security by 2045.
• Organized information into Issues and Weak Signals for clarity.
• Categorized signals by Drivers, Shifts, and Scenarios.
• Crafted future scenarios in collaboration with renowned futurist Jamais Cascio.

Impact

• Mapped out key changes in critical global systems, aiding in strategic decision-making.
• Enables global leaders to anticipate and navigate future challenges through a clear, data-driven, intuitive approach.

We partnered with Horizon 2045 to design a custom data structure, optimizing the organization of crowdsourced signals. After multiple iterations, the signals were organized within a relational data framework, allowing for seamless integration into the radar format. This design ensures an intuitive, user-friendly experience for stakeholders analyzing complex data.

The Horizon 2045 radar includes a highly personalized set of metrics. Unlike conventional radars that focus on Technology Readiness Levels, this project introduces two entities—Issues and Key Signals—represented by different symbols (circles and triangles). These entities are positioned across six security dimensions, from individual to planetary, shifting the emphasis from TRL to impact. A comprehensive tagging system links signals with broader shifts, drivers, and scenarios, creating an integrated view of possible futures.

The radar includes a dedicated Scenario Module, featuring three speculative narratives authored by futurist Jamais Cascio. and illustrated by Stacey Robinson. These stories make the signals more tangible, offering stakeholders a deeper, visual understanding of potential future worlds. Each scenario is connected to relevant weak signals and issues, making it easier to understand the trajectory of change.