Economy

Economy | Energy | Environment | Events and Resources | Housing | Session 6 | Society

Scotland’s Housing and Net Zero Conference
ByFutures Forum Staff 5 June 20247 August 2025

22 April 2024 Scotland aims to achieve ‘net zero’ by 2045, but the Scottish Government announced, in April, that the interim 2030 target is unreachable highlighting the significant challenges ahead. By bringing together MSPs and stakeholders from academia, private, public and third sectors, the conference provided a platform to discuss and strategise on the necessary…

Read More Scotland’s Housing and Net Zero Conference
Economy | Energy | Environment | Events and Resources | Housing | Session 6 | Society

Scotland’s Land: One resource, many uses
ByFutures Forum Staff 30 October 20237 August 2025

This event in October 2023 explored how we can use our land to underpin food security, maintain sustainable communities, & meet climate & biodiversity targets

Read More Scotland’s Land: One resource, many uses
Blog to the Future | Economy | Events and Resources | Finance | Session 6 | Society

Alternative approaches to economic development in Scotland
ByFutures Forum Staff 24 October 20238 November 2023

This blog by David Waite, Richard Crisp and Anne Green reflects on different ideas of economic change and where they’ve come from.

Read More Alternative approaches to economic development in Scotland
Blog to the Future | Economy | Education | Session 6 | Technology

AI and Education: A free-market future?
ByFutures Forum Staff 4 September 20234 September 2023

With AI growing in importance throughout our lives, this blog explores a free-market future for education and schools. It accompanies our event report: “AI and Education with the Goodison Group”

Read More AI and Education: A free-market future?
Economy | Events and Resources | Health | Session 6 | Society

A Fair and Sustainable Scotland: How fair is fair?
ByFutures Forum Staff 28 August 20237 August 2025

This panel discussion in October 2023 explored how fair Scotland is as a country. Complete equality of outcome is impossible – so what does success look like?

Read More A Fair and Sustainable Scotland: How fair is fair?
Economy | Environment | Events and Resources | Health | Housing | Session 6 | Society

Tackling 21st Century Inequality
ByFutures Forum Staff 23 August 20236 October 2023

What can be done to tackle the giants of 21st century poverty? This seminar in August 2023 with the David Hume Institute and Professor Danny Dorling explored whether Scotland is providing some answers.

Read More Tackling 21st Century Inequality
Economy | Events and Resources | Health | Session 6 | Society

Scotland’s poverty problem
ByFutures Forum Staff 11 August 20234 September 2023

If all political parties in Scotland are committed to tackling poverty, why has more progress not been made? This Festival of Politics debate in August 2023 explored Scotland’s poverty problem.

Read More Scotland’s poverty problem
Economy | Events and Resources | Session 6 | Society

It’s the economy, stupid
ByFutures Forum Staff 11 August 202324 August 2023

Post-pandemic and in a cost-of-living crisis, how can new economic ideas help us shape the future? This Festival of Politics debate in August 2023 explored how our economy could and should work.

Read More It’s the economy, stupid
Economy | Environment | Events and Resources | Session 6 | Society

Economic Transformation: Making a good living?
ByFutures Forum Staff 14 June 202318 December 2023

With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate emergency and rising inequality, this seminar in June 2023 explored business purpose and making a good living.

Read More Economic Transformation: Making a good living?
Blog to the Future | Economy | Education | Session 6 | Technology

Artificial Intelligence and Skills
ByFutures Forum Staff 31 May 20232 June 2023

Blog in May 2023 by Robbie Scarff on Artificial Intelligence and Skills: what impact will AI have on what it means to be a worker?

Read More Artificial Intelligence and Skills
Economy | Environment | Events and Resources | Session 6 | Society

Economic Transformation: A Just Transition?
ByFutures Forum Staff 19 April 202317 May 2023

With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate and ecological emergency, rising inequality and an ageing population, this seminar in April 2023 explored the idea of a just transition.

Read More Economic Transformation: A Just Transition?
Economy | Environment | Events and Resources | Health | Session 6 | Society

Economic Transformation: A Wellbeing Economy?
ByFutures Forum Staff 9 February 202310 July 2023

With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate and ecological emergency, rising inequality and an ageing population, this seminar in February 2023 explored the idea of a wellbeing economy

Read More Economic Transformation: A Wellbeing Economy?
Economy | Events and Resources | Finance | Local Government | Session 6

Frameworks and Forecasts: Taxation in Scotland
ByFutures Forum Staff 21 November 202223 May 2023

Event in November 2022 with the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee on taxation in Scotland.

Read More Frameworks and Forecasts: Taxation in Scotland
Blog to the Future | Economy | Finance | Local Government | Session 6

Why Scotland needs radical tax reform
ByFutures Forum Staff 17 November 202219 April 2023

Blog by Alison Payne of Reform Scotland on Scotland’s tax system and the report “Taxing Times: Why Scotland needs new, more and better taxes”.

Read More Why Scotland needs radical tax reform
Economy | Energy | Environment | Events and Resources | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Economy | Scotland 2030: Environment | Scotland 2030: Technology | Session 5 | Technology

Scotland 2030: Carbon Positive Jobs
ByFutures Forum Staff 5 February 20209 June 2023

Wednesday 5 February 2020, at the Scottish Parliament What jobs will there be in a net zero Scotland? With a climate emergency to respond to while new technology pushes at boundaries and disrupts our lives, many jobs in Scotland will change or disappear completely. New jobs will also emerge. How can we ensure these jobs…

Read More Scotland 2030: Carbon Positive Jobs
Economy | Events and Resources | Housing | Local Government | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Economy | Scotland 2030: Life in Future Scotland | Scotland 2030: Society | Session 5 | Society

Scotland 2030: A Sustainable Future for Urban Scotland
ByFutures Forum Staff 26 June 201920 June 2023

Wednesday 26 June 2019, at the Scottish Parliament Life in Scotland’s towns and cities is forecast to change significantly in the coming decades. Cities are set to continue to grow, facing the challenge of providing housing and services for new populations, while the role and place of towns in Scotland remains uncertain as traditional high…

Read More Scotland 2030: A Sustainable Future for Urban Scotland
Economy | Environment | Events and Resources | Housing | Local Government | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Economy | Scotland 2030: Environment | Scotland 2030: Life in Future Scotland | Scotland 2030: Society | Session 5 | Society

Scotland 2030: A Sustainable Future for Rural Scotland
ByFutures Forum Staff 14 May 20199 March 2023

Scotland’s sparsely-populated areas are predicted to lose a quarter of their population by 2046, with the working age population likely to shrink by 33%. At the same time, the challenge of enabling the development that is needed to sustain rural communities is delicately balanced with the environmental imperatives of conserving our environment and protecting its…

Read More Scotland 2030: A Sustainable Future for Rural Scotland
Economy | Events and Resources | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Economy | Scotland 2030: Society | Session 5 | Society

Scotland 2030: A Citizen’s Income?
ByFutures Forum Staff 2 April 201913 April 2023

Panel discussion at the Scottish Parliament in 2019 on a citizen’s income or universal basic income. How attractive – and affordable – is it as a policy?

Read More Scotland 2030: A Citizen’s Income?
Blog to the Future | Economy | Health | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Economy | Scotland 2030: Health | Scotland 2030: Society | Session 5 | Society

Can Scotland be a world leader in wellbeing?
ByFutures Forum Staff 25 February 20195 March 2023

Jennifer Wallace, Carnegie UK Trust, @Jen_CarnegieUK Earlier this month I attended a Scotland’s Futures Forum seminar on a wellbeing economy at the Scottish Parliament. The event, a collaboration between the Futures Forum, the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee and the newly formed Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll), heard from a range of thinkers and doers…

Read More Can Scotland be a world leader in wellbeing?
Economy | Events and Resources | Health | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Economy | Scotland 2030: Health | Session 5

Scotland 2030: A Wellbeing Economy?
ByFutures Forum Staff 5 February 201920 March 2023

Report of a seminar in February 2019 with the Wellbeing Economy Alliance on Scotland as a wellbeing economy.

Read More Scotland 2030: A Wellbeing Economy?
Economy | Events and Resources | Finance | Session 5 | Society

A Sustainable Future for Scotland’s Public Finances
ByFutures Forum Staff 15 June 201812 March 2023

On Friday 15 June 2018, the Futures Forum, the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee and the Royal Society of Edinburgh brought together a group of experts from throughout Scotland to consider the long-term sustainability of Scotland’s public finances. Read A Sustainable Future for Scotland’s Public Finances Event Report The seminar took place on the…

Read More A Sustainable Future for Scotland’s Public Finances
Economy | Events and Resources | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Economy | Session 5

Scotland 2030: Our Economy
ByFutures Forum Staff 3 October 20175 March 2023

Having explored the challenges provided by the technological revolution and climate change in its first two events in 2017, the Futures Forum heard from Dr Jamie Coleman, chair and co-founder of Codebase, and Dr Katherine Trebeck, senior researcher at Oxfam, on how we could and should make our living in 2030, as individuals and as…

Read More Scotland 2030: Our Economy
Economy | Education | Events and Resources | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Economy | Scotland 2030: Education and Learning | Session 5

Future Schooling, Education and Learning: The Economic Context
ByFutures Forum Staff 1 September 20175 March 2023

Scotland 2030: Goodison Group in Scotland Forum Debate On 5 September 2017, the Goodison Group in Scotland and the Futures Forum continued their on-going investigation into education and learning in the future with a debate in the Scottish Parliament on how the economy might influence, enhance or disrupt schooling, education and learning in 2030 and beyond….

Read More Future Schooling, Education and Learning: The Economic Context
Blog to the Future | Economy | Environment | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: A Civilised Nation? | Scotland 2030: Environment | Session 5 | Society

Economy, ecology, aesthetics: competing interests in the land
ByFutures Forum Staff 24 May 20178 November 2023

By Eleanore Widger, University of Dundee and @Nell Widger Earlier this year the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) and Mountaineering Scotland made an unlikely alliance in opposition to government plans to plant thousands of new trees. According to the Guardian, the Scottish Government intends to increase woodland cover from 17% to 25% by 2050 as part of its Draft…

Read More Economy, ecology, aesthetics: competing interests in the land
Arts&Culture | Creative reflection | Economy | Major Projects | Scotland 2030 Programme | Scotland 2030: Creative Reflections | Scotland 2030: Technology | Session 5 | Technology

Betty Bags a Booker by Karine Polwart
ByFutures Forum Staff 29 March 20174 April 2023

An imagined news story from 2030 by Karine Polwart. Written in 2017, “Betty Bags a Booker” reflects on the effect of automation on our society and culture.

Read More Betty Bags a Booker by Karine Polwart
Economy | Events and Resources | Session 5 | Technology

Automation in the Scottish Economy
ByFutures Forum Staff 2 February 201710 February 2023

The growing level of automation in Scotland’s economy and the implications for our workforce was the subject of a Scotland’s Futures Forum’s Breakfast Seminar in 2017. Hosted by Richard Leonard MSP on behalf of the Parliament’s Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee, the seminar heard from Ewan Mearns of Scottish Enterprise’s strategy and sectors team…

Read More Automation in the Scottish Economy
Economy | Events and Resources | Finance | Health | Our work | Session 5 | Society

Fostering Cultures of Innovation
ByFutures Forum Staff 28 November 20164 September 2023

Workshop in November 2016 to support the SUII programme on Fostering Cultures of Innovation, featuring video presentations of each project.

Read More Fostering Cultures of Innovation
Economy | Events and Resources | Session 4

Business Succession: the sustainability of family businesses and SMEs
ByFutures Forum Staff 9 March 20146 March 2023

New research reveals up to £1.23 billion tax gain by increasing the number of successfully transferred SMEs and Family Businesses in Scotland Research demonstrates how SMEs and Family Businesses can significantly grow the Scottish economy. It also suggests that governments across Europe need to recognise the importance of providing support for business transfers to help…

Read More Business Succession: the sustainability of family businesses and SMEs
Economy | Events and Resources | Finance | Session 3 | Society

Social Impact Bonds
ByFutures Forum Staff 22 November 20106 March 2023

Seminar in November 2010 with public, private and voluntary sectors on an innovative way of funding solutions to social problems.

Read More Social Impact Bonds
Economy | Environment | Events and Resources | Housing | Major Projects | Session 3 | Society

Scotland: Sustainable Communities in 2030
ByFutures Forum Staff 12 September 20106 March 2023

A scenario project from 2010 examining what sustainable communities might look like in Scotland in 2030. Features report and scenarios video.

Read More Scotland: Sustainable Communities in 2030
Economy | Events and Resources | Finance | Session 3 | Society

Scotland’s Public Finances
ByFutures Forum Staff 16 March 201012 March 2023

Project in 2010 looking at challenges to Scotland’s public finances from budget constraints, technological change and shifting relationships.

Read More Scotland’s Public Finances
Economy | Energy | Environment | Events and Resources | Session 3

Low Carbon Scotland Report
ByFutures Forum Staff 8 March 20108 March 2023

Futures Forum seminar in March 2010 on realising a low carbon economy. Key messages include a lack of systemic policy making and Scotland’s unique opportunities

Read More Low Carbon Scotland Report
Economy | Events and Resources | Finance | Health | Session 3 | Society

What might a Scottish welfare system look like in 2020?
ByFutures Forum Staff 7 September 20096 March 2023

Seminar in September 2009 on what might a Scottish welfare system look like in 2020? With Swedish expert Prof Joakim Palme

Read More What might a Scottish welfare system look like in 2020?
Economy | Events and Resources | Finance | Health | Session 3 | Society

Poverty and Inequalities in Scotland
ByFutures Forum Staff 29 May 200912 March 2023

Conference in May 2009 on poverty and inequalities in Scotland. A decade after devolution, what has improved and what are the priorities for the future?

Read More Poverty and Inequalities in Scotland