The circular economy holds the promise of a zero-waste future, yet formidable challenges in technology, finances, and regulation persist. How will governments and businesses overcome these obstacles to achieve true sustainability?

As populations begin to demand businesses and governments to define their success in new metrics other than financial growth and economic prosperity, new routes for future economic systems are starting to take shape.

As more and more consumers demand sustainable products, manufacturers and policymakers are urged to respond to their needs and change the current linear growth model. With the “Right to repair” movement and self-healing materials, we may soon witness products with a longer lifetime, and a rapid transition towards the circular economy.

In our article series, we zoom in on some specific areas and industries in the world that will emerge after the COVID-19 pandemic. This third instalment is based on an analysis by Futures Platform, with insight from the founder and chairman of energy company St1 and climate change advocate Mika Anttonen and Futures Platform’s Senior Foresight Analyst Max Stucki.

What role will Artificial Intelligence (AI) have in the workforce? How will economies and capitalism change in the future? In our webinar, Sitra’s Leading Foresight Analyst Mikko Dufva and Futures Platform’s Content Director Tuomo Kuosa discuss these themes and more.

Our world is run by cities. Not only are they the locus of economic and political power, entertainment, and media, but they are also growing. And fast. Yet, there will always be a demand for a different lifestyle - away from the city. Today, we have suburbs and the countryside. But could there be a new type of residential area addressing a gap not yet filled? Welcome to high-tech eco-villages.