Projects on future sustainability from around the world

The following is a sample of similar projects of regions looking into their future sustainability in a long-time horizon and at a broad range of topics. Projects only looking at one issue in particular, such as urban growth or deforestation, were not included. The Maryland 2050 endeavor can be enriched by these examples from around the world, several of them in the United States.

In Maryland

Reality Check Plus: Imagine Maryland

This was a series of growth-visioning exercises for the 2025 horizon held in 2006 with 850 participants; organized by the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education, the Urban Land Institute’s Baltimore District Council, and 1000 Friends of Maryland. Given current projections, the participants expressed an ideal vision for future growth in the state, which involves the preservation of open space, protection of water quality by reduction of impervious surfaces, increases in public transportation options, enhanced supply of affordable housing, and direction of most of the growth towards existing communities, especially to Baltimore City. Their ideal vision contrasts sharply with existing plans for growth and with what is currently allowed under zoning regulations.

Chesapeake Futures

This initiative, sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee, developed three scenarios for the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed for the year 2030. The purpose was to envision how the bay would look if the status quo remains unchanged, if current environmental protection commitments are met, or thirdly, if alternative innovative technologies and polices are implemented. The report warns that the recent efforts and gains in water quality, submerged aquatic vegetation communities, and oyster bed restoration are likely to be set back if sediment and nutrient loads keep growing as a result of increased development and population growth. Therefore, new management efforts and activities are warranted.

Around the World

Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force

Hawaii 2050 is a community planning process that will guide future policy decisions for a desirable and sustainable environment, community, and economy. The plan also seeks to improve the quality of life in Hawaii for future generations. The Hawaii 2050 plan will be based on the core values, hopes, and priorities of Hawaii’s residents. Through a community planning process, the plan will be gathered and shared beginning in Fall 2006.

Minnesota 2050: Pathways to a Sustainable Future

This project will develop multiple scenarios of Minnesota's future by exploring the many and complex interactions between humans and the natural environment, and projecting the trends and impacts of these interactions into the future. It will focus on patterns of energy use, the built environment and food and fiber production.

MOSUS project: Modeling Opportunities And Limits For Restructuring Europe Towards Sustainability

MOSUS evaluates paths to Sustainability in Europe by 2020, by looking at resource use, environmental indicators and proposing policy strategies and actions that reconcile economic development, international trade and environmental protection.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Sub-global Assessments

As a multi-scale assessment, the MA has been undertaken at local community, watershed, national and regional scales, as well at the global scale. These sub-global assessments have followed the MA methodology of evaluating the impact of ecosystem services and human well-being and projecting this relationship into the future for a specific region. 18 assessments throughout the world have been approved by the MA. In North America, such assessments have been undertaken for Coastal British Columbia and the Northern Lakes Region of Wisconsin