Long term, high impact trends commonly used in outlooks.

1. Summary.
2. Examples.

1. Summary

A megatrend is a change that takes place over many years and has a major impact on the world.

Megatrends used in long-term outlooks are commonly listed using the following terms:

• Society: demographics, urbanisation, globalisation, instability.
• Technology: artificial intelligence, connectedness, new materials.
• Economics: trade patterns, competition, disparities.
• Environment: climate change, energy transition, pollution.
• Politics: power shifts, fragmentation, polarisation, regulation.

2. Examples

See also Trends.

RAND: Trends in Focus (2025)

1. Population changes and health.
2. Changing climate, changing lives.
3. Geopolitical competition.
4. Economic uncertainty.
5. The global impact of technology.

PwC: Megatrends (2024)

1. Climate change.
2. Technological disruption.
3. Demographic shifts.
4. Fracturing world.
5. Social instability.

World Economic Forum: The Future of Jobs 2025 (2025)

1. Technological change.
2. Geoeconomic fragmentation.
3. Green transition.
4. Demographic shifts.
5. Economic uncertainty.

Dubai Future Foundation: The Global 50 (2025)

1. Materials revolution.
2. Boundless multidimensional data.
3. Technological vulnerabilities.
4. Energy boundaries.
5. Evolving ecosystems.
6. Borderless world – fluid economies.
7. Digital realities.
8. Life with autonomous robots and automation.
9. Future humanity.
10. Advanced health and nutrition.

Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies: Global Megatrends (2022)

• World
  • Globalisation
  • Population growth
  • Environmental change and sustainability
• People and society
  • An ageing world
  • Individualisation and empowerment
  • Focus on health
  • Urbanisation
• Technology and sciences
  • AI and automation
  • Biotech revolution
  • Greater interconnectedness
  • Engineering advances
• Economy
  • Network economy
  • Service economy
  • Economic growth
  • Concentration of wealth