In this special edition of the Futuring Podcast, Alisha Bhagat is joined by leading futurists Cat Tully, Radha Mistry, and Madeline Ashby for a powerful conversation from the year 2050.

Together, they imagine what a just and regenerative future could look like—through the lenses of future generations, the built environment, and everyday life. Set against a speculative 2050 backdrop, this episode is both a message and a warning, drawing on real-world "Bright Spots"—critical interventions already underway that offer blueprints for transformation.

The conversation spans the challenges of the 2030s, the potential to scale community-led solutions, and what it will take to ensure these sparks of hope become systems-level change. Tune in for a deeply imaginative yet grounded look at the future, shaped by the actions we take—or fail to take—today.

About the guests:

• Cat Tully is the founder of the School of International Futures (SOIF), where she works with governments, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen long-term decision-making and intergenerational fairness. Explore the Handbook for Intergenerational Fairness.
• Radha Mistry is an architect, foresight strategist, and futures thinker, who has worked at the intersection of speculative design and strategic foresight in the built environment at Arup.
• Madeline Ashby is a science fiction writer and strategic foresight consultant whose work blends storytelling with systems thinking to explore the implications of emerging technologies and societal change.

This conversation is part of Forum for the Future’s Bright Spots campaign, a storytelling initiative that surfaces the critical interventions already driving just and regenerative transitions. Bright Spots are not just inspiring—they are vital, and scaling them is key to navigating this decisive decade. Learn more at: https://www.forumforthefuture.org/the-future-of-sustainability-2024-25

All opinions expressed by their interviewees are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Forum for the Future.

Interview recorded on 16th April 2025.

This audio features the song "Boulevard" by Yung Kartz available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

In this special edition of the Futuring Podcast, Jonathon Porritt [Former Director, Forum for the Future] is joined by his fellow co-founders of Forum, Sara Parkin [Principal Associate, Sustainability Literacy Project] and Dr. Paul Ekins [Professor of Resources and Environmental Policy, University College London]. The podcast comes as Jonathon steps down from Forum, joining Sara and Paul to reflect on its 30 years of operation and how the sustainability landscape has evolved in that time.

Tune in to hear how the idea for a new organisation came to be at the heels of the Earth Summit in 1992 and how that evolved into the international sustainability non-profit it is today. Underpinned by their longstanding friendship and banter, Jonathon, Sara and Paul discuss the pressures and joys of setting up a new and radical organisation for sustainability, a buzzword at the time; the impact of working with the public sector; and the shift towards the business community over the years

• Community Climate Collaborative
• Solar Climate Justice Scorecard
• Community Climate Collaborative Newsletter sign-up

• Charlottesville gas station chain makes unexpected bet on solar power
• Auto dealer sees Clean Cars as great first step for electric vehicles in Virginia

Produced by: Siddhi Ashar and Christina Daniels-Freeman