Pandemic, security situation change lead to increased uncertainty: PM

The Government report on the future adopted on Thursday with the view to build a common understanding of what Finland will look like in the next generations.

The report’s systematic reflections on the future lay the foundation for proactive governance, said a government press release.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the fundamental change in the security environment in spring 2022 have led to increased uncertainty in our operating environment,” said Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

She said that the situation highlighted the importance of the central government’s ability to handle uncertainty in an agile way and the need for more proactive decision-making.

“In recent years, Finland’s ability to prepare for and respond to crises has been recognised around the world. Foresight is an essential part of knowledge-based strategic decision-making, and it is important to continue and strengthen this work,” she said.

The Government Report on the Future plays an important role in the Government’s foresight activities. Rather than trying to predict the future, the report aims to open up new perspectives, challenge assumptions and increase awareness of potential future trends and their impacts.

The Government has submitted a report on the future to Parliament during every parliamentary term since 1993.

The report consists of two parts. The first was prepared by public officials as part of their official duties in cross-administrative cooperation between all ministries.

The first part of the report proposed several measures that must be taken regardless of what kind of future lies ahead.

The first part of the report will support the ministries in their strategy work. It presents four different scenarios for how the future will develop. The scenarios are potential development paths rather than forecasts, and it is possible to influence many of them.

The Finland of future generations

The main question for the future is how we can ensure that future generations will also have the opportunity to lead a sustainable life. The second part of the Report on the Future examines how future generations can be better taken into account in legislative drafting and how foresight can play a more important role than at present.

Taking into account future generations increases accountability for political choices. Intergenerational justice is an essential part of the principle of sustainable development: for development to be sustainable, it must not jeopardise the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The report highlights international examples of institutions that are taking future generations into account. It also presents ways to increase solidarity between generations.