State of the World 2025 Panel Discussion

About this episode

The episode features a panel discussion with experts reflecting on global challenges and potential paths toward a sustainable future.

As 2025 draws to a close, the world faces an increasingly interconnected set of global challenges — climate change, wars, geopolitical instability, economic inequality, and uncertainty about the future. How can societies respond to this complex landscape? What visions, values, and forms of cooperation might guide humanity toward a more just and sustainable world? This State of the World 2025 panel brings together leading experts from futures studies, economics, and political science to reflect on the defining issues of our time and to share their perspectives on the paths ahead. The conversation explores themes such as the European Union’s role in global governance, the future of peace and international relations, and the kinds of economic models that could best support human wellbeing in the coming decades. Panelists Sirkka Heinonen Professor Emerita of Futures Studies, University of Turku A pioneering figure in Finnish and European futures research, Heinonen’s work focuses on sustainable development, societal transformation, and the futures of peace. As a long-time member of the Club of Rome and the Millennium Project, she has contributed to global networks advancing strategic…

People in this episode

Guests: Sirkka Heinonen, Johanna Vuorelma

Topics covered

• global challenges
• climate change
• geopolitical instability
• economic inequality
• sustainable development
• international relations

Keywords

• global governance
• peace
• economic models
• democracy
• political narratives

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Turku, University of Helsinki, European Union

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