Publication
Executive Summary: Implementation Handbook
23rd September 2024
The SOIF Long-Term Governance Programme
Meeting Today’s Crises—Shaping Tomorrow’s World
Our Vision
SOIF works globally to ensure that long-term thinking is embedded into policy and governance. Our vision is a world where countries act now on the principles of the Declaration on Future Generations—reimagining democracy, economic systems, and public decision-making to deliver for both current and future generations.
What is long term governance?
The Problem
The clock is ticking. The intersecting crises we face today—climate volatility, global food insecurity, public debt, conflict, migration—require bold, long-term thinking now, not in 30 years’ time. Governments and institutions must shift from reactive firefighting to proactive, systems-focused transformation.
From housing and debt to climate breakdown, democratic backsliding, and deepening inequalities—our systems are struggling to meet the needs of today, let alone tomorrow. We need governance fit for a radically different future—one that centres the wellbeing of both present and future generations.
The Momentum
In 2024, for the first time in history, the UN held a Summit of the Future, with countries endorsing a Pact for the Future and a bold Declaration on Future Generations – a call to action for Member States to focus both on the issues that most affect future generations and to reform the systems of governance and policy making that currently discount them.
This has triggered a rising wave of leadership—especially from the Global South—who are calling for new governance models that address structural injustice, centre human rights, and deliver climate justice.
In 2024, SOIF leveraged its global networks of foresight and futures practitioners to advocate for an ambitious Declaration on Future Generations and activated action on long-term governance across a range of countries.
2025 and beyond is about mobilising countries to drive future generations’ policy locally and nationally, and to sustain multilateral urgency on the issue. So far in 2025 we are incubating long-term governance hubs in Australia, Brazil, Finland, Ireland, Kenya, Portugal and Spain, building movements that deliver on the high-ambition of the Declaration on Future Generations.
Looking ahead, the 2028 Global Gathering on Future Generations will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to anchor and accelerate this shift. What we do now will shape whether that moment delivers real transformation—or passes us by.
The Theory of Change
Our Long-Term Governance (LTG) programme supports countries and communities to build systems that prioritise the wellbeing of future generations while responding to today’s crises. We focus on building a whole-of-society approach—because real transformation demands action across government, civil society, and the public and isolated actions often fail.
Our model helps countries to:
- Embed long-term governance systems into policy and law
- Equip public leaders with futures-thinking tools
- Engage citizens and youth meaningfully in setting hopeful visions for the future and demanding longer term action from their governments
- Foster leadership and action in the Global South
- Provide insight inspiration and challenge to multilateral systems tasked with implementing the Declaration
The SOIF Approach: Long-Term Governance for Urgent Action
We focus on four core areas of work that drive real-world impact:
1. We empower people to work for better futures at a community, systemic and global level.
We connect leaders, activists, young people, researchers and communities across the world to grow a strong movement for change. Through our Pledge and Pioneer Networks, we support people who are already making long-term thinking a reality—and help them learn from and inspire each other.
The Pledge Network
The Pledge Network is an informal collective of more than 100 cross-disciplinary leaders with expertise across futures, foresight, anticipatory governance, well-being and future generations policy.
Next meeting: 16th January 2025
Futures Pioneers
Hosted by our IGF collaboratory, this international network of government officials and politicians is building and sharing practice in future generations, wellbeing economics and long -term decision-making.
Visit our Futures Pioneers Webpage →
Next meeting: 15th January 2025
2. We incubate country hubs, providing technical support to scale in-country impact.
In 2025, we’re working in seven countries helping to build national long-term governance hubs that translate global ambition into practical, locally-owned change because the Future Generations Declaration will only be as good as the countries implementing it. SOIF hubs have been established in Brazil, Finland, Ireland, Kenya, Portugal, Spain and Australia.
We help countries build the skills, knowledge and systems they need to plan for the long term and act in the interests of future generations. This includes practical advice, training, and expert support tailored to each context.
We are also supporting emerging movements across the Global South and North in the US, Norway, NZ, Greece, Italy, Ukraine, Cameroon, and Nigeria.
3. We champion long term governance in the UN, G20, EU and beyond.
We make sure long-term thinking and future generations are part of the world’s biggest decisions. By working with international partners and showing up at key global events—like the UN, G20 and COP30—we help shape policies that deliver lasting impact.
Keynote from the future
G20 Brazil
SOIF2024: Summit of the Future Session
Long-term Governance High-Level Roundtable
Long-term governance: the UN Declaration
Innovations for Future Generations
Nairobi Civil Society Conference
May 2024
Read More
In preparation for the Summit of the Future, SOIF delegates advocated for an ambitious Declaration for Future Generations at the Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, the first meeting of its kind in the Global South.
The Conference saw the launch of the Kenyan Senate Future Caucus – a visible show of the step-change in Africa, with members utilising foresight in their legislative, oversight and representative roles
Wales Future Generations Forum
April 2024
Read more
Take a read of the ‘Wales Protocol for Future Generations‘
Assessing the Summit of the Future Process
April 2024
Read more
Take a look at our first RAG assessment of the Summit of the Future process and how we think it can be improved
Australian Government
April 2024
Read more…
Sophie Howe travelled to advise the department of the Prime Minister and cabinet on implementation post-Summit of the Future as well as catching up with the ‘Young Australian of the Year’ and Chief Futures Officer, Dayle Stanley, from the Australian National University Futures Hub.
Finland
Helsinki, April 2024
Read more…
Cat Tully participated at the Exploring Strategic Foresight and Anticipatory Governance event in Helsinki to discuss what a successful Summit of the Future outcome might look like in Finland in a years time, as well as what actions need to be taken between now and then to make that happen.
European
Commission
Brussels, March 2024
Read more…
Sophie Howe joined ZOE Institute for Future-fit Economies to meet with the Cabinet of EU Commissioners to discuss proposals for an EU Commissioner for Future Generations.
They also met with political advisers to Members of the European Parliament to discuss ideas of how the EU Parliament could enhance futures scrutiny
Future
Generations
Conference
Leuven, March 2024
Read more…
Sophie Howe spoke at the Future Generations Conference in Leuven. Futures took over the city where young people were given the keys to City Hall They came together to share ideas on what the future of jobs and skills might look like through music, art, fashion, and community engagement.
There was also a political commitment from the Deputy Mayor of the City, Lalynn Wadera, to seeing Leuven as one of the first cities in the world to have a Future Generations Commissioner
Future
Days
Lisbon, March 2024
Read more…
Sophie Howe and Cat Tully travelled to Lisbon to conduct transformative participatory exercises at the Future Days Conference. They translated these insights into actionable steps for shaping the future of Lisbon.
4. We build capability for long-term governance for sustainable development.
We carry out practical research and learning activities to understand what really works in long-term governance. We use this knowledge to help others take action—backed by evidence, shared tools, and lessons from the ground.
Beyond Strategic Planning – Toolkit for Decision Makers
Read more →The School of International Futures Triangle
Read more →Operationalizing strategic foresight to better support governments in managing SDG trade-offs and synergies in the post-COVID context
World Public Sector report, UN DESA, 2023
Read more →
Strategy guidance note on strategic planning and foresight
UN DESA Committee of Experts for Public Administration, 2021
Read more →
How can the UN and the High-Level Political Forum identify and deal with new and emerging issues to meet the 2030 Agenda?
Paper for the Friends of Governance for Sustainable Development, 2020
Read more →
Using foresight methods to adapt development co-operation for the future
including opinion piece by Achim Steiner (UNDP Administrator), OECD Development Cooperation Report, 2018
Read more →
Stewardship of the Future: Using Strategic Foresight in 21st Century Governance
UNDP Global Centre for Public Service Excellence, 2015
Read more →
The Team
Programme Co-Director
Programme Coordinator
Kate Seary
US & Multilateral Coordinator
Programme Co-Director
Brazil Incubator
Programme Manager
Sonia Arakkal
Incubation Lead
More about the Summit of the Future
Declaration for Future Generations
Read more →Pact for the Future – Zero Draft
Read more →Wales Protocol for Future Generations
SOIF supported the Welsh Future Generations Commissioner in the drafting of the Wales Protocol for Future Generations, an implementation framework for the Declaration On Future Generations, designed to guide communities and world leaders towards a more sustainable and equitable future.
Read more →