UK MOD identifies future strategic trends

'Global Strategic Trends out to 2045'

1 July 2014 Ministry of Defence and Dr Andrew Murrison MP

The Ministry of Defence Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre has set out what the world might look like 30 years from now.

This latest publication is the 5th edition of Global Strategic Trends (GST). It examines a 30-year outlook of a broad range of regional and thematic trends including the environment, health, education, automation, information, identity and transport.

Global Strategic Trends out to 2045

Researchers from the Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre (DCDC) consulted widely with experts, academics, other government departments, and with countries and institutions from around the world to develop a comprehensive analysis of the future.

An artist's impression of F-35B Lightning II jets inside the future HMS Queen Elizabeth's hangar (computer-generated image) [Picture BVT Surface Fleet]

Minister for International Security Strategy, Dr Andrew Murrison, said:

Global Strategic Trends is a key element in setting the Ministry of Defence’s context for long-term decision-making. Past editions of GST have been used to inform our national security strategy, and this fifth edition highlights further key themes that will shape our thinking.

Our world will significantly change over the next 30 years, and all of us will feel it. It will be a time of continuing transition, characterised by uncertainty, challenge and complexity. GST maps this and is well worth studying closely.

Global Strategic Trends forms part of the DCDC’s strategic trends programme, which began in 2001. This edition considers the strategic context out to 2045, highlighting a number of global defence and security implications for use by policy and decision makers not just in defence, but across government.