Yet research shows that being in nature is closely associated with better health and well-being and even a longer life expectancy. ¹ A 2015 study also found that when stress and trauma patients were exposed to imagery of landscapes or tree-filled views from their windows, they had faster recovery rates. ²

To let nature be is to let nature thrive. This is the idea behind rewilding, which aims to redress the balance between wildlife and human life, mitigate species loss and allow ecosystems to flourish.

Oostvaardersplassen in the Netherlands is an experiment in radical rewilding that caused a backlash when grazing animals left to fend for themselves perished. In England, landowners allowed a 3,500-acre dairy farm to rewild into a thriving ecosystem where several species on the brink of extinction have returned. ³ As well as letting nature do its thing, countries worldwide have recognised the rights of nature. In 2017, four rivers in Colombia, India and New Zealand gained legal protection rights, and nature-rights laws now exist in around 20 countries, including Uganda, Canada and Bolivia.

The greening of cities is a common focus for urban planners, with evidence that urban green spaces, gardening and community projects enhance citizens' health and well-being. One study found that community gardening significantly impacted residents' perceptions of social capital. In 2021, Singapore announced its ‘Green Plan 2030’—an ambitious programme to make the city nature-inclusive. In the Turkish city of Izmir, the Mavisehir Peynircioglu Stream Ecological Corridor, a 26,500 m² strip of carbon-consuming vegetation, was established to reduce pollution and remove emissions. In Malmö, Sweden, the project Stadsbruk (city cultivation) rents land around the city to growers who sell their produce to residents and restaurants—connecting the social benefits of urban gardening with profitability. The Danish capital, Copenhagen, transformed one of the city’s parks to collect excess rainwater, creating a more resilient infrastructure in the face of flood risk. Other cities have turned their backs on a car-as-king culture, from Times Square in New York becoming pedestrianised in 2009 to the Belgian city of Ghent, which has had an almost car-free city centre since 2017.

These nature-based strategies strengthen local neighbourhoods and bolster a feeling of belonging and care. On the heels of COVID-19, when many had to stay close to home, a sense of community has been one positive residue of an otherwise dark period. Many of us have a renewed responsibility and pride in all things local—one study ⁴ found that 56% of post-covid consumers preferred niche neighbourhood stores and locally produced products to big chains and imports.

Our growing population is about to collide head-on with a shortage in crop-fit land due to climate change. How, then, can we increase food production, ensure everyone has a nutritious diet and remain below 1.5 degrees of global warming? One solution is AI-driven precision agriculture. Using real-time data from sensors, weather forecasts and historical intelligence about seasonal pests, farmers can modify and specify the treatment of crops. By using the exact dose of irrigation, fertiliser and pesticides at the crucial time, farmers can up crop yield and quality, reduce waste and save water. Controlled use of fertilisers also prevents the devastating effects of eutrophication on the ecosystems of nearby bodies of water.

Fancy a lab-grown burger? Many national (U.S. Dietary Guidelines 2015–2020, German official guidelines DGE, 2020 and the Nordic Council of Ministers) and international dietary guidelines advise consumers to reduce meat consumption for planetary and human health. Lab-cultivated meats are one way to enable this. Food scientists are able to control the fat and protein density of cultivated meats to fulfil the consumer demand for an alternative that matches the taste and consistency of the real deal.

While individuals and corporations grapple with reducing CO2 emissions, this won’t be enough to reach the Paris Agreement climate target—we also need to remove historical human-caused emissions. Finnish food/space-tech startup Solar Foods produces protein from CO2, you can drink a carbon-based vodka on the rocks and slip on a diamond ring crafted from captured carbon. The Canadian company, CarbonCure injects carbon into concrete to reduce emissions and add strength. Svensk Kolinlagring (Swedish Carbon Storage) pays farmers to more efficiently store carbon in their soil, which means they can contribute to reducing climate change and enhancing ecosystems while continuing to produce food.

A future scenario

It is 2050, and the region-city of Copenhalmö has become a self-sufficient, regenerative city-state where urban agriculture and local food production employ and feed the population. Much of what was once urban sprawl has been rewilded with a commitment to ecosystem preservation. Vehicle use in populated areas is limited in favour of a driverless, electrified public transport system. Citizens of all ages, genders and social and economic backgrounds engage in a food-focused value system, creating a cohesive community where individual actions allow the whole to flourish. The physical environment provides cues and stimuli to make all available space a growing space and encourage a back-to-nature mindset. These behavioural incentives push people to gain the necessary skills to support regional industries and meet the nutritional requirements of every citizen.

Striking a work-life balance

Collective agreements and universal basic income allow for a balance of “farm time” and “personal time”, where people can use four workday hours for personal interests. They must spend the remaining time on activities that benefit urban agriculture and the greater-nutritional and community good. However, food and community-related activities are seen as more worthy and prestigious than individual pursuits and interests, meaning many people don’t take advantage of the free-time allowance in an effort to “look good”. Small, non-farm businesses struggle to survive with only four hours allowed for non-agricultural or community work. They are also held back by higher taxes, which the state uses to penalise economic activities outside the food/ag industry.

A hyper-local, green economy

There are few imports of non-regional goods, and some politicians attempt to ban imports altogether over weakening food-independence concerns. What were once considered everyday groceries—exotic fruits and coffee—are now a luxury, and stores restrict sales per person. Supply-chain disruptions that caused food shortages in earlier years are no longer a concern due to semi-autonomous homeland production. However, communities constantly prepare for limited seasonal variation by preserving foods to maintain nutrient levels throughout the year. While the state doesn’t allow much inbound, it exports excess food production using AI-powered vehicles run on renewable energy. Income from exports contributes to the local economy.

Copenhalmö is the first carbon-positive region, reducing and removing more CO2e than it emits. It runs on a 100% renewable energy mix of wind, solar and geothermal. All energy comes from farms within the region, ensuring energy independence and self-sufficiency. The state provides cryptocurrency to farmers who sequester carbon in the soil, funds tree-planting programs and grants a “right-of-stay” to ancient trees. The construction industry builds predominantly with timber, and several projects capture CO2 and turn it into fuel for vehicles, ultra-resilient building materials and other commodities.

Old meets new

New tools and local information pathways develop using behaviour datasets derived from the land, state, education, neighbourhood and individual. Every citizen is obligated to participate in these behavioural tracking systems. Apps track food production and climate greening “successes,” and social pressure develops to prove commitment to the environment and community.

Many healthcare providers move out of traditional medicine and work in the domain of nutritional value together with a “community chef” appointed in each locality. The chefs are people’s go-to for health and well-being concerns. Part dietician, part culinary artist, part life coach—they provide food-based treatments and promote the idea that gut health is central to overall mind and body health. They engineer recipes using local foods and create individual meal plans based on personal nutrient requirements and biodata.

Indigenous agricultural practices and weather-prediction expertise have become the currency of innovation in the region. Traditional farming techniques, such as agroforestry, permaculture and crop rotation, are combined with AI-precision agriculture to increase yields, regain soil health, and regenerate ecosystems. Free-roaming herbivores—old pig breeds, roe deer, and wild horses—contribute to a dynamic mosaic of habitats that support biodiversity and propagate arable terrain. These animal populations are strictly managed to attain optimal land health, and a controlled percentage is removed each year for consumption. Lab-cultivated proteins make up the remaining demand for non-agriculturally produced meats with low-carbon emissions.

Nudging or enforcing?

Both primary and higher education focus on providing practical farming and food-production skills and learning how to contribute to the good of the community. Spatial design and regional architecture use a new framework based on “form as farm”—nudging individuals to produce food and agriculture products in every available interior and exterior space. Digital prompts about the benefits of being in nature and the importance of community spirit are delivered via wearables, on-street interfaces and through dream hacking.

By promoting a reconnection with nature and reliance on local, fresh produce, the population is healthier with a downturn in nutrition and pollution-related diseases and improved mental well-being. As a result, society benefits from a highly functioning, less-pressured healthcare system. Community work gives people a sense of belonging, inclusion and psychological safety. But activists begin to protest against the food-is-everything mindset and over-surveillance of activities. Many groups also demonstrate frustration over a lack of diversity in work opportunities and few prospects outside the food industry.

Assumptions

The following assumptions have consciously and unconsciously shaped this future: People are ready to give up personal comfort for the greater common good, we are prepared to work for well-being, we will eat in a similar way in the future, the idea of trust will hold true, employment is a desired state and work life is less desirable than personal time. That it will be possible to stabilise climate change, people will accept the disappearance of food traditions, community and self-sufficiency are good and deliver well-being, food production needs people’s time, and it still requires space in nature.

This narrative is based on a scenario collectively conceived and developed by core group participants in a Collaborative Foresight cycle. The group's voice was captured and creatively expanded by the writer.