About Us
How we work
The UN Futures Lab is a network of individuals and organizations dedicated to future-proofing the UN and multilateral system.
The UN Futures Lab is driven by a Global Hub which is led by the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG) – and works in close collaboration with its core partners United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Development Coordination Office (DCO), UN Global Pulse, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
We engage with all entities across the UN system, as well as with diverse multistakeholder (e.g. private sector, academia, civil society, Member States) and multilateral (e.g. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Union (EU)) partners at global, regional, and national levels. We also collaborate with a wide range of external futures and foresight networks (e.g. World Economic Forum (WEF), Global South Futures Community, Regional Parliamentary Committees of the Future) and manage the Global Foresight Directory of Global South actors and institutions.
The Global Hub team encompasses a range of functions aimed at advancing strategic foresight initiatives globally, and includes expertise in strategy, policy, foresight, partnerships, community management, and communications and creative strategies.
The regional approaches of the UN Futures Lab/Global Hub bridge global priorities with regional needs, tailoring foresight tools and strategies to local contexts while considering broader implications – thus creating a dynamic network that informs global strategies at UN Headquarters. We look forward to expanding our work at regional levels in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.
Supporting Member States in navigating rising uncertainty
Global crises such as persistent drought in sub-saharan Africa, species extinction and habitat loss, as well as global transitions to renewable energy, have re-enforced the need to be better prepared for major global risks. While futures and foresight have long existed at the UN, a more coherent and systematic approach is needed.
The UN Futures Lab/Global Hub is playing a key role in helping to shape a more resilient, forward-looking, and adaptive UN that uses new skills and expertise to better support Member States in navigating a complex and uncertain future.
We help to embed long-term thinking and strategic foresight into decision-making processes at policy and programatic level.
We also support the advancement of UN 2.0 by putting foresight into practice and combining with the other quintet areas – data, digital, innovation, and behavioural science – wherever possible.
Our vision
Our vision is that UN and international policymaking and programming transitions from short-term reactions to long-term sustainable choices.
Our mission
Our mission is to support the development of foresight capabilities, promoting a sustained emphasis on long-term vision in policymaking and programming. Our work extends across global, regional, and country levels, within each UN entity, across the UN system and beyond.