Materials scarcity: A new agenda for industrial design

Societal stakeholders are expressing concerns over the increasing scarcity of critical elements on which high-tech industries rely. Geochemical rare elements are indispensable in producing high-tech products such as electronic gadgets and renewable energy technologies. The surge in demand for critical elements presents a risk of exhaustion of...

Innovation and complex governance at times of scarcity of resources - a lesson from history

Historians understand the important role that access to critical raw materials has played in the development of civilizations, however access to materials has regularly led to distrust and conflict. Near future material scarcity scenarios appear to be severe and could include a mix of price volatility, supply disruptions and geopolitical...

Living climate change: Design thinking and learning in complexity

As the world moves into an era of significant changes predicated by the challenge of sustainability, the future holds many questions, with serious consequences depending on the answers. Given the implications of these changes, the world’s design community needs to be constantly challenged to respond. To support conversations on what life will be...