The Planetary Phase Shift - a theory for our times

In November 2024, Foresight: the Journal of Futures Studies, released the pre-print of my new peer-reviewed paper creating a collective forward intelligence framework for decision-making at planetary scale. This was the culmination of nearly two decades of work in systems theory across multiple disciplines. Powered by a global strategic communications push in collaboration with the Club of Rome, the paper was picked up in media coverage in 98 countries generating some 500 million impressions, with mentions of the paper read by some 12 million people.

The Planetary Phase Shift theory is the first systems framework that grounds foresight practice in an empirically-grounded analysis of the movement of energy and information through the life-cycle of civilisation. Getting the paper through double-blind peer-review was a humbling and enriching process, as it needed to be revised multiple times based on useful and detailed feedback.

Ultimately this helped me ensure that the paper became as scientifically rigorous as possible. You can read it here paywall free. I’m grateful to have continued to receive thoughtful feedback about the paper which I hope will help me advance the framework and its articulation with greater precision and care. Getting the paper published, however, is just the beginning. I’m working on finding new ways to explore, adapt and apply the framework in numerous contexts so that anyone can engage with it, and apply it in their contexts.