Futures Conference 2024:
FUTURES OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Virtual Pre-Conference Day: 4 June 2024
Onsite Days: 13–14 June 2024 in Turku, Finland
The global consumption of natural resources has accelerated since the industrial revolution, in pursuit of development and economic growth. With the emergence of climate and other ecological crises, it is now acknowledged that the rate and patterns of consumption are neither sustainable nor equitable. The vested interests, and related structures of economic and political power, play a central role in maintaining a status quo, characterised by short-term thinking and a priority on profit maximisation. Within these conditions, the perspective of the future of humanity and of the natural world on which we depend is marginalised. These prompts empirical, philosophical, policy and practice-oriented questions. They prompt social and environmental consequences of continuing on this path, on the role and value of nature, and on what would a transformed relationship between humanity and natural resources look like?
The Futures Conference 2024 focuses on the questions of what futures research provides for the sustainable management of natural resources, both in water and the surface of the earth and below. Our gaze may also be directed to space. How can we maintain a good quality of life on earth when we are facing increasing pressures on natural resources? Can technology reduce the current wasteful use of natural resources and how? What kinds of new approaches, through political and ecological economics could be brought to the management of natural resources in the future? What are the new restoration and regeneration approaches in land use, whether we are talking about farming, forestry or, for example, planning urban environments? What kind of novel approaches and solutions could futures research and its methodology offer in the wider societal discussion?
The Conference in a Hybrid Mode
The Futures Conference 2024 will be organised in hybrid mode. This means that the conference day Tuesday 4th of June will be held exclusively in virtual mode, Thursday 13th and Friday 14th of June 2024 will be held on-site in Turku and with some sessions partly online. We do encourage in-person attendance, however we also welcome virtual participation for both authors and attendees.
We welcome you to share your latest research results, findings and thoughts on these key topics:
- Alternative futures of economic growth and the use of natural resources
- Case studies on sustainable uses of natural resources (including technology)
- Ecological regeneration and well-being
- Tackling the climate crisis and biodiversity loss with regenerative agriculture and forestry
- Efficiency and sufficiency of energy, materials and natural resources for the future generations
- The governance of natural resources on local and global levels in the future
- Ethics, just transformation and natural resources
- Intangible values of natural resources in the future
- The art, science and poetics of natural resources
- Futures research theory and methodology in the management of natural resources
The ‘Futures of Natural Resources’ international Futures Conference 2024 will create a cross-disciplinary science platform where participants can meet, share, and discuss the sustainable uses of natural resources in the future.
The conference program will consist of keynote lectures, parallel paper sessions and participatory workshops. The conference will aim to generate multidisciplinary, stimulating and critical discussions that promote networking between people interested in futures issues from different backgrounds and perspectives.
We invite researchers, practitioners and alike from universities, research institutes, companies, governmental and non-governmental organisations to submit your abstracts (max. 300 words) via Webropol no later than 31 January 2024: https://link.webropol.com/s/fc2024
Important Dates
- Call for papers available: November 2023
- Deadline for the abstracts: 31 January 2024
- Notification of acceptance: 29 February 2024
Conference Organisers
‘Futures of Natural Resources’ is the 24th international Futures Conference of the Finland Futures Research Centre and Finland Futures Academy, University of Turku. It is co-organised together with the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE).
Follow the event at futuresconference2024.com
and with #futuresconference2024
Contact the Conference Secretariat via futuresconference@utu.fi