Here in the Hague we’d like to imagine how the Future society will evolve and how great it will be if we all lend a hand. Today’s global challenges influence how we get there. That is why hypothetical thinking is essential.
For once let’s start with: What if…
Border Sessions, one of The Hague’s many conferences, gathers thinkers and doers. The sci fi writers, scientists, entrepreneurs, law makers like to think:
“What hypothetical conversations happen in the Hague, do not stay in the Hague!”
From a new city living and working coup to space food. From intelligent colonial spiders races to robots for good. So many diverse subjects were discussed, perspectives collided and that’s what makes progress happen. We would like to share and spotlight some of the great debates that took place in the Korzo Theater earlier this month.
The Future Society and Next Economy
Technological advancement will change the societal landscape we live and thrive in. Among many others industries, energy, production and transportation are the most obvious and pressing being ‘disrupted’ at the moment. This will cause the Next Economy to be build, and within this abstraction, the opportunities are truly endless.
The Entrepreneurs that feel challenged by this were invited to become part of the ‘coup for a new society’. Rotterdam and the Hague working closely together in this challenge. A fertile exchange of and between people, knowledge and resources is happening. These are the finalists of this years Next Economy challenge.
With more than 2 million citizens and a 20 procent Dutch GDP contribution, Rotterdam and The Hague form a core region of the Netherlands.
Next Economy Roadmap is forged by Jeremy Rifkin and you can find the executive summary here. The following five intertwined pathways are the focus points:
Digital Gateway to Europe towards zero marginal costs
This transition pathway encompasses all issues dealing with increased digital connectivity, big data platforms, smart logistics, smart mobility, sensors, internet of things, etc. This concerns all actions that need to be taken to establish a sophisticated digital infrastructure that will enable the region to increase its data productivity.
Great examples are the Hague Security Delta and The Hague Humanity Hub bundling and connecting parties involved.
Smart Energy Delta towards zero carbon
This transition pathway encompasses everything dealing with connected smart energy systems, sustainable sources, conversion and storage technologies, energy savings, carbon capture storage, heat roundabout, all electric and hydrogen infrastructure. This concerns all actions that need to be taken to establish a renewable energy infrastructure in the region.
Great example is that 10% of the Dutch Wind energy production is based in the Port of Rotterdam (200 MegaWatt)
Circular Economy towards zero waste
This transition pathway encompasses everything dealing with the use and re-use of resources and waste streams within the region: recycling, upcycling, biobased materials and clean technologies. This concerns all actions that need to be taken to realize a circular regional hub.
Great example are the many ‘Urban Mining‘ initiatives and I’m Binck Festival showcasing this from the Hague’s hidden gem called Binckhorst.
Entrepreneurial Region towards new productivity
This transition pathway includes all relevant building blocks for the new economy: new business models, new products and services, new clients, new forms of collaborations, disruptive innovations, from start-ups to scale- ups, laws & rules, field labs, living labs and barriers that need to be removed to build up the new economy. This concerns all actions that need to be taken to create an entrepreneurial culture and structure in our region.
All the entrepreneurial communities in the area, ECE, Yes!Delft, World Startup Factory, Port XL, Venture Café and many others.
Next Future society towards an inclusive society
This transition pathway includes diverse aspects of the new society in our region. It deals with deals with new labor market arrangements, new skills and new forms of education, the commons, citizen cooperatives, bottom- up movement, social entrepreneurs and social innovation. This concerns all actions that need to be taken to build up a more inclusive society.
Below there’s the conversation citizens and society should have. What if we reach this within X years, what if we do this, it will affect the future, that’s a fact.
Preach what you practice
We like to experiment, not only here with hackathons, student challenges and incubators. We’d like to take it into practice in Rwanda, and those practices we bring back again. The Hague is functioning as a hub, exporting and importing findings of experiments and practices.
What does access to energy mean? Role of decentralised systems in electrifying Sub-Saharan Africa explained #BSF16 pic.twitter.com/eU2E0vQeNM
— Hivos (@hivos) July 7, 2016
Come up with experiments, not solutions.
Experiments, debates and challenges make new ideas and solutions happen that makes sense. Because governments and municipalities tend to come up with more problems than actual solutions, and entrepreneurs do exactly the opposite: create more solutions than problems. Bring these two together and you are well on your way to make society better.
Robots not taking our jobs but enabling us
Robots and AI are not here to take over your job, they merely change the landscape how your job will look and adapt. Progress goes fast, but slow enough for people, society and education to keep up.
NRC did a great piece (in Dutch) on Robin Murphy, a professor doing robot disaster relief for almost 20 years now. The live stream from Border Sessions on how that exactly works is here, and there’s also a TED talk, which makes it truly come alive.
There were multiple scientists nerding out on robots for good, like Patrick Meijer on Humanitarian Technology & Robotics and We Robotics:
In the air, over the earth and in/on the water: It's flying labs to the rescue with 🛩,
and
. @WeRobotics #BSF16 pic.twitter.com/ExO9kQbDx3
— Impact City (@HagueInnovators) July 7, 2016
and 
. How we enable the next 20, 50 and 70 years.
Thriving entrepreneurs prove there is not anymore only valuable ROI from cash, it’s from Impact as well, more than ever today! Because everyone is watching! Daan Weddepohl from Peerby, gathering millions from funds and crowds shows people invest with their heart as well, with the future in mind.
The only way we get to this future is be active in the Impact Economy, the positive impact economy.
Yes! @peerby proves investors want both #ROI and #IMPACT! @dwed #BSF16 pic.twitter.com/Ef9cf68FpY
— Impact City (@HagueInnovators) July 7, 2016
Stay optimistic about our Future Society, if we become and stay involved
We’re making an impact, whatever we do, but we need to make a positive impact. Gaia Vince talks about our critical time in our planet’s history, in which climate change, globalisation, communications technology and increasing human population are changing our world as never before. The developing world is experiencing these impacts more clearly and sooner than the rich West – they are already feeling the effects of biodiversity loss, erratic weather patterns, glacial melt and forced migrations, for example. She documents these impacts, talking to ordinary people, scientists and heads of state.
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