How the 2025 Trend Report for Planners Highlights the Role of Foresight in Building More Impactful Programs
The 2025 Trend Report for Planners, developed by the American Planning Association (APA) in collaboration with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, is out. It provides a foresight-driven approach to help planners anticipate and navigate change in a rapidly evolving world.
This article summarizes the report and discusses the importance of foresight for assessing potential impacts of policies and programs.
As one of the contributors to the report, I enjoyed reviewing the completed version! And, I believe you’ll find it interesting too.
Key Trends in 2025, based on the APA’s Trend Report.
The report categorizes key trends into three levels of urgency:
1️⃣ Act Now – Trends requiring immediate action.
2️⃣ Prepare – Emerging shifts that planners should start preparing for.
3️⃣ Learn and Watch – Early signals of change that could shape the future.
1. Act Now: Urgent Trends for Planners
Shifting Climate Mitigation Strategies – Traditional carbon offset programs are losing credibility, AI is increasing corporate emissions, and climate litigation is emerging as a key tool for accountability.
Demographic and Housing Shifts – Declining birth rates, evolving family structures, and increasing housing insecurity require new policy approaches.
Digital Fatigue – Concerns over AI-generated misinformation, online burnout, and mental health impacts are driving a demand for offline interactions.
Public Spaces and Extreme Weather – Heat, wildfires, and air pollution are changing how we design urban spaces and infrastructure.
Water Scarcity – Growing risks to local water supplies demand urgent policy responses.
2. Prepare: Emerging Issues to Monitor
AI and Planning Power Struggles – The role of AI in governance, ethics, and decision-making is still being defined.
Geopolitical Instability – Global economic and political shifts will influence funding, migration, and urban development.
Green Transition Conflicts – Tensions around land use, energy resources, and climate policy are increasing.
Health and Climate Risks – Emerging public health concerns, from heat-related illnesses to new disease outbreaks, will require stronger resilience strategies.
Redefining Work-Life Balance – Remote work, automation, and workforce aging are reshaping economic policies and city planning.
3. Learn and Watch: Signals for the Future
Aviation and Urban Air Mobility – The rise of drones and eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) could redefine urban transport.
Climate Innovation – Advanced materials, AI-driven energy grids, and nature-based solutions are transforming sustainability approaches.
Personalized Healthcare – The intersection of AI, biometrics, and preventive medicine could impact how we design cities for health.
Technological Disruptions – Innovations like self-repairing infrastructure and digital twinning will influence planning.
Source: APA 2025 Trend Report
4. The Future of Planning: Adapting to an Uncertain World
The report emphasizes the importance of foresight in planning, urging professionals to:
Use scenario planning to prepare for multiple futures.
Develop adaptive policies that can flex with changing conditions.
Integrate equity and inclusivity into long-term strategies.
Leverage new tools and data analytics to track emerging risks.
By staying ahead of these trends, planners can create resilient, sustainable, and community-driven programs that withstand political, economic, and environmental disruptions.
A Five-Step Foresight Framework for Impactful Program Design
1️⃣ Scan: Identify External Drivers of Change
Many programs fail because they focus only on internal goals rather than external forces that shape success.
Identify key trends, risks, and uncertainties (e.g., climate policy shifts, demographic changes, AI disruptions).
Use scenario planning to explore multiple possible futures.
Engage diverse stakeholders to surface risks and opportunities.
Example: A workforce development program should consider not just current job market needs but how AI and automation will impact future employment trends.
2️⃣ Align: Connect Long-Term Trends to Program Goals
Once key trends are identified, programs need to be designed for long-term relevance and adaptability.
Ensure goals align with future needs, not just short-term funding cycles.
Design programs to be modular, so they can adjust based on changing conditions.
Build cross-sector coalitions to increase resilience.
Example: A climate action plan should not focus only on reducing emissions today but also consider emerging technologies like AI-driven energy grids and evolving policy landscapes.
3️⃣ Adapt: Design for Flexibility and Continuous Learning
Rigid programs struggle to evolve. Designing for adaptability ensures long-term success.
Embed feedback loops to reassess impact and adjust strategies.
Test pilot projects before scaling up.
Ensure funding structures allow for course corrections over time.
Example: Instead of committing to a single large-scale public transit expansion, cities could launch smaller pilot projects (e.g., micro-transit, electric shuttles) and adjust based on real-world feedback.
4️⃣ Measure: Use Foresight-Based Metrics
Success should be measured by long-term impact, not just short-term outputs.
Shift from performance metrics (e.g., dollars spent, projects completed) to impact metrics (e.g., resilience, equity, economic growth).
Use predictive modeling to anticipate future risks and opportunities.
Design programs with multiple evaluation checkpoints to adjust as needed.
Example: A housing program should track not just the number of units built today, but whether those homes remain affordable and accessible as conditions change.
5️⃣ Institutionalize: Make Foresight a Core Part of Decision-Making
Foresight should be embedded in governance structures, not treated as a one-time exercise.
Establish foresight teams within organizations to continuously track trends.
Require risk and scenario planning in funding proposals.
Provide training on foresight tools for program managers and policymakers.
Example: A regional planning agency could require all grant-funded projects to include risk analysis and adaptation strategies to ensure long-term success.
