About Long-termism

Investing in our future: Is time the most potent prism for climate action?

Current economic paradigms of growth and industrialisation need to move towards circular and natural capital. Central to shifts towards long-term thinking is understanding how society values time. To achieve such a fundamental shift will require systemic interventions which cannot be reached through one avenue alone but through a collective effort. Moreover, systemic impact can only be realised through a holistic and long-term approach within our social systems.

Long-term oriented actions
Together with a cohort of expert partners, our approach focuses on five areas of action. By combining these areas we can leverage the systemic impact towards more long-term oriented behaviours, mindsets and actions. These areas of action are:

  • Exploring new types of governance and rule-setting to redesign institutional structures
  • Empowering individuals in decision making through data transparency and capability building
  • Harnessing the power of collective movements to democratise rulemaking
  • Working with social and cultural narratives through exploring alternative concepts of time
  • Redefining notions of value using frontier technological prototypes

Explore

Find out more about the people and places involved in long-termism. Keep visiting this page for new content from EIT Climate-KIC and from the many partners involved in this deep demonstration.

Stories
European Fundraising Association I 1 July 2020 The new agile world of foundations

The depth and diversity of the philanthropic response to COVID-19 has been amazing. From emergency and solidarity funds, to the pursuit of remedies and vaccines, to supporting community activism and taking care of the most vulnerable, philanthropic organisations have come together to help, support and protect. Which actions did they take and which long-term insights are there to learn?

The new agile world of foundations
Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre | 14 May 2020 A cartoonathon: using humour to drive insights

Last week, in an event supported by EIT Climate-KIC, over 150 participants from more than 60 countries took part in a virtual ‘cartoonathon’ to explore long-term transformation in a COVID-19 world.

A cartoonathon: using humour to drive insights
Dr Riyong Kim, Marjon Eijpe, Alberto Cottica, Marcus Dapp and Florian Doebler | April2020 Reassessing our values in the ‘new normal’

As a result of COVID-19, we have changed rapidly in the ways we live, how we move, how we socialise and how we eat. What is emerging is a 'new normal' – a re-evaluation of what society values.

Reassessing our values in the ‘new normal’
Thomas O'Neill | Influence Map | April 2020 Tracking developments of COVID-19-related government interventions

The importance of transparency of interactions between companies, financial institutions and government policy mechanisms during crises like COVID-19.

Tracking developments of COVID-19-related government interventions
Martin Calnan - Ecole De Ponts and Dr. Riyong Kim - EIT Climate-KIC | April 2020 Exploring frontiers in sustainability

Bringing futures literacy to financial services in Ireland and the world

Exploring frontiers in sustainability
University of Turku - Finland | April 2020 Future literacy insights as input for long-termism

EIT Climate-KIC supports co-creation and implementation processes that introduce, develop and actively apply the capability called 'futures literacy'.

Future literacy insights as input for long-termism
Dr Riyong Kim and Jaclyn Asuncion | EIT Climate-KIC | March 2020 Investing in our future: Is time the most potent prism for climate action?

In this short 'Insight' - part of our fourth series of Climate Innovation Insights - the authors argue that short-termism in the financial system undermines effective climate action, putting our ability to prevent catastrophic climate change at risk. Systems interventions for long-termism should combine technology, arts, culture and financial markets in a portfolio of experiments.

Investing in our future: Is time the most potent prism for climate action?
Dark Matter Labs | February 2020 Futures in Long-termism

Dark Matter Labs is a partner in EIT Climate-KIC's Deep Demonstration of Long-termism. This collection of writings focuses on the mindsets and mechanisms that can help shift us towards long-term thinking and enable sustainable behaviours and investments.

Futures in Long-termism
BBC | January 2020 Short film: Do we need to re-think our ideas of time?

Ella Saltmarshe, co-founder of The Long Term Project, is one of the ‘designers’ helping to shape EIT Climate-KIC’s Deep Demonstration of Long-termism. In this BBC video, Ella talks about how society can regain long-term perspectives to help arrest the destructive short-term thinking at the heart of our financial system.

Short film: Do we need to re-think our ideas of time?
In our community | EIT Climate-KIC | 12 December 2019 Interview about Futures Literacy with Riel Miller, Head of Foresight at UNESCO
Interview about Futures Literacy with Riel Miller, Head of Foresight at UNESCO
Bea Karol Burks and Ella Saltmarshe | The Long Time Project | August 2020 The Long Time Tools

This is a guide created by policymakers, for policymakers to enable us to integrate long-termism into our work. It contains a series of different tools for you to test out at work. We invite you to try using some of these tools over the next few months.

The Long Time Tools