The decade ahead promises to be full of transformations, from the UAE’s publishing business to global food security and our local cultural scene. Climate change, tolerance promotion, and a shortage of resources are just a few of the significant concerns that the globe faces as we enter a new century. In order to better understand how we may address such concerns, we asked experts in respective areas to predict how the world would appear in 2030…
Books: Isobel Abulhoul
Emirates Literature Foundation’s chief executive officer and trustee
“I believe the most pressing issue confronting humanity is the climate disaster.” This will shape the responses of the publishing business throughout the world. Paper is used to making physical books, and in Europe, a large number of publishers exclusively print on paper from sustainable forests or recycled paper. I am certain that UAE publications would quickly follow suit.
“Audible books are the fastest-growing segment of the publishing industry, and this trend has already begun in the UAE.” E-books are well-established, and they work especially well for mass-market paperbacks. I believe that physical books will become collectors’ goods, but I genuinely hope that physical books will always be available for children, as nothing can replace the sensation of holding a picture book in your hands and reading to children. A book’s realism is profound, and it has been a part of humankind’s journey over the millennia, chronicling each milestone. We must never lose sight of the printed word’s significance.
“I am optimistic that the UAE publishing business will develop and innovate over the next decade, providing specialised training so that the essential skill sets are accessible here and nothing will need to be outsourced.”
Fashion: Sass Brown
Author, activist, and instructor in the field of eco-fashion
“I feel we are in the midst of a worldwide crisis, a crisis of conscience, values, monetary systems, and lifestyles.” The paradigms we’ve lived by are no longer functional or fit for purpose, and we’re rapidly approaching a tipping point when business as usual will no longer be tolerated.
“This past year, the fashion industry has been publicly called out for transgression after transgression, symbolising a system that is terribly out of step with the societal upheaval we are seeing.” From Prada’s blackface bag charm and Gucci’s red lip turtleneck to Burberry’s noose sweatshirt, the #givecredit hashtag has been used to call out mainstream fashion on cultural appropriation, and big-name designers have been called out for casual racism and prejudice. This emphasises the beginning of a system’s demise.
“Acceptance of racism, cultural appropriation, and sexism as normal will no longer be permitted in or by the mainstream fashion business during the next ten years. It is no longer enough for a company to reduce waste, participate in carbon offsetting, hire a director of corporate social responsibility, or form a diversity committee. We must adapt what we do and how we do it, or fashion will be extinct by 2030.”
Aviation: Tony Douglas
Etihad Aviation Group’s chief executive officer
“Global air travel demand continues to rise. The International Air Transport Association predicts that by 2020, passenger travels would have surpassed 4.7 billion and that by 2030, this figure will have risen to far over six billion. Two-thirds of the world’s population lives within six hours of the UAE, including China and India, the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. As a result, Abu Dhabi and Etihad Airways will play crucial roles in handling these massive loads.
“The most pressing challenge for our sector over the next decade will be to become more ecologically sustainable.” The increased demand for travel just cannot be satisfied without major innovation and investment in sustainable practises, capital, and infrastructure.
“I envisage Abu Dhabi and the entire UAE evolving as a centre of aviation innovation over the next decade, and we are happy to have made a tiny step toward that goal with the debut of the ‘Etihad Greenliner.’ This aeroplane will serve as a testing ground for the whole industry in order to develop new methods to cut carbon emissions, and we encourage manufacturers, suppliers, designers, and innovators to work with us to make a good influence on the environment. We’re all in this thing together.”
Education: Michael Gernon
Gems Education’s chief education innovation officer
“I am convinced that by 2030, the nature of schools and education will have experienced significant alteration.” Artificial intelligence, automation, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and quantum computing are transforming the world we live in and how society will need to adapt. Students will have joined a world in which cognitive agility and flexibility will be critical, and instructors will need to develop a number of programmes to help students progress their digital abilities.
“By 2030, classrooms and the school day will have given way to tailored playlists for students accessing a variety of suppliers.” Schools will be virtual and physical facilitators of tailored, on-demand provision. The focus will also be on acquiring a variety of future-focused skills and competencies. Self-directed learning, empathy, physical and virtual cooperation, dispute resolution, agility and adaptability, and influencing leadership will be the new ‘core topics,’ offered through a variety of Extended Realities [immersive technologies that blend the physical and virtual worlds].
“Teachers will be given more responsibility and emphasis as a result of this. The new pedagogy will involve social, emotional, and ethical intelligence applied to both the ‘self’ and the situation,’ and observed through a technologically oriented lens. They will transition from topic/information delivery to expert coaches and facilitators, assisting, advising, and guiding students as they navigate their future learning.”
Restaurants: Nicolas Budzynski
La Petite Maison’s global operations director
“I believe restaurants will move in two distinct paths over the next ten years: contemporary, technologically oriented, and traditional.” Food, like the growth of the internet and social media, or any other connected technology, will be impacted. As more products and foods are processed, modernity and technology will be employed not just for the appearance and feel of restaurants, but also for the food provided. This is true for both high-end experimental cuisine – as concepts like Alinea in Chicago and chefs like Mike Bagale [designer of the edible balloon] continue to push limits – and casual ideas, as large corporations continue to produce novel fast food, such as the latest Impossible burger.
“On the other hand, the health-conscious and ecologically aware will return to authenticity and high-quality food sources.” A large portion of the population will undoubtedly want to return to genuine food with real flavour.
“The plant-based food sector and the growth in consumption of micro-greens are two areas to monitor over the coming decade.” It remains to be seen how we, as restaurateurs and cooks, will deal with these developments.”
Film: Nezar Andary
Zayed University associate professor of film and literature and filmmaker
“This is my credo for Arab film in 2030: the hallowed dark movie room for group watching will flourish as it did in the 1930s, and in new and unexpected ways.” Cinema and visual culture instruction will begin in primary schools throughout the world, creating better viewers. Audiences will pledge to support a wide range of cinematic expression from their own nations, rather than just what is provided to them. Arab film will cease to exist as a peripheral form, but a real World Cinema will take its place. People from various classes, identities, cultures, and geographies will generate increasingly diversified types of film in the Arab world. Arab filmmakers and programmes will stop pandering to the western audience. Arab cinema’s finance will be self-sufficient, ending its reliance on nations and global commercial interests. Immersive and virtual reality movies will be accommodated. The hypnotic algorithms of internet behemoths will lose their hold on public awareness, allowing for more expansive cinematic vistas for everybody.
“There will also be a revival of courageous film criticism.” Film festivals will become more diverse. And film will continue to be a haven for intellectuals, artists, and dreamers.”
Oil and gas: Abdul Nasser Al Mughairbi
Adnoc’s senior vice president of digital
“AI for autonomous operations on platforms in remote places is one of today’s game-changing technologies that will become the standard by 2030.” AI and robots will also allow for completely automated drilling, allowing us to drill deeper into more challenging reservoirs and changing the way we think about field development.
“In the oil and gas business, big data and analytics will no longer play a’secondary’ role, but will be at the heart of everything the industry does across the value chain.” Blockchain will also become a regular practise for audits and data verification, enabling for better and more transparent workflow management, while 3D printing will assist cut prices and turnaround times for replacement parts, accelerating fast prototyping.
“Finally, expanding the usage of virtual reality settings will offer hands-free and immersive experiences, as well as faster and more accurate decision-making, while wearable technologies will improve worker safety.”
Journalism: Mina Al-Oraibi
The National’s Editor-in-Chief
“‘Will you still be producing the newspaper in a decade?'” This is the most often asked question of newspaper editors. The answer is that it depends – on business realities, user behaviour, and technological capabilities. It will be critical to determine whether there are still readers who value not only the feel of paper in their hands, but also the curation of a newspaper. A printed copy provides readers with chosen articles from a given time period, as well as a more in-depth study. There have been several studies that suggest reading from paper rather than a screen ensures knowledge retention. As more and more people want to limit screen time and rest their eyes, printed publications will still be around.
“However, for people who are not interested in printed news or tales, audio is the key trend that will effect the media sector.” As voice-enabled gadgets become smarter and more affordable, an increasing number of individuals will receive their stories in audio format. Radio’s capacity to thrive in the face of the emergence of television and video material exemplifies the power of audio.
“While excellent journalism will remain entrenched in conventional newsgathering standards, technology will continue to upend norms.” With 5G, there will certainly be more video and a greater requirement for speed in delivering content. Cisco predicts that video traffic will account for 82% of all worldwide internet traffic by 2022, up from 75% in 2017. And more individuals will acquire their information from mobile devices, with Cisco predicting that smartphones will account for 44% of all internet traffic, while PCs will account for 19%.
“As more audiences receive news directly on their devices, they will want greater personalization and control over how and when they receive news.” Machine learning will influence some of those decisions, but the aim is that they will continue to rely on human editors to acquire the stories that important to them.”
Aviation: Mikhail Houari
Airbus’s President of Africa and the Middle East
“Autonomous flying taxis, planes that look like geese, and zero-emission flights connecting the Middle East’s megacities might all be a reality by 2030.
“The year will usher in a decade of technological advancements that will convert air travel into an even cleaner and greener means of transportation capable of serving rising passenger demand in sustainable ways.
“Our skies will get more congested. Megacities in the Middle East are expected to more than double in size over the next 20 years, while passenger numbers in the UAE are expected to increase by 5.8 percent every year. Even the number of aircraft servicing the UAE will nearly triple by 2038, from 630 currently to roughly 1,730.
“Research and development into electric battery-powered flights and self-driving air taxis are already a reality for the industry, since lowering aviation’s carbon footprint is a top focus.” Autonomous flying has the potential to have a significant positive impact on society beginning in 2030, and it will have a significant impact on urban mobility, stimulating new business possibilities and establishing new markets.”
Food production: Sky Kurtz
Pure Harvest, founder and CEO.
“By 2050, we will need to produce 70% more food to fulfil the demands of the world’s 9.5 billion-plus rising population.” Many seeds of required change are being planted right now, such as advancements in controlled-environment agriculture, alternative-to-meat proteins, and increased awareness of food’s impact on the world, health, and happiness. These changes, however, will be seen on a worldwide basis by 2030. Technology and awareness-led behavioral change will modify both how we manufacture food and how we consume it, collaborating to reverse the tide on what many may feel is a lost struggle in 2030.
“By 2030, governments will have fully accepted the gravity of these difficulties and will be at war with freshwater shortage – which is linked to food scarcity because 70% of freshwater is utilised in agriculture.” Water will be treated (and priced) more in line with its genuine value, which will be a hot subject in governments and boardrooms throughout the world. Food production will become more localised in industrialised economies, boosting food security, lowering carbon footprints, and reflecting humanity’s progress toward the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, all while reflecting dramatic shifts in consumer tastes.
“Finally, consumers will learn to tolerate, and some will even adore alternative proteins; yet, for those who can afford it, animal protein will remain the meat of choice.” Many people will be eating healthier by 2030, and the earth will reward us.”
Beauty: Charlotte Tilbury
Charlotte Tilbury is a make-up artist and the creator of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Ltd.
“The beauty industry has always been one of the most innovative, magical, and adventurous in business.” There has been so much change and advancement since I began my career more than 27 years ago, and as we approach a new decade, I feel that the game-changing, pioneering aspect of our sector will continue. From the introduction of game-changing substances like Replexium and new formula breakthroughs to great technological developments, I believe there is a bright future in beauty tech that will radically transform the way women and men buy for beauty.
“There will also be a significant shift in skincare, with supercharged products that will not only improve everyone’s skin, but their life as well.” I want even more people to genuinely embrace the power of beauty over the coming decade.”
Waste: Dr Jean-Francois Hoffmann
Exploration: Sir Ranulph Fiennes
Explorer
“We only have two poles to compete on when it comes to creating world records in polar travel, and those records have pretty much all been broken.” The only one that hasn’t, and may yet not be by 2030, is crossing Antarctica during the polar winter, which we failed to achieve three years ago despite three years of preparing.
“There were no polar orbiting satellites while we were down there making records in 1979.” There is no satnav or GPS. We were in the 1970s, with the same instruments as Shackleton and Scott in 1908, trying to figure out where we were and which way to go in a featureless terrain larger than America… The difference between now and 2030 will be enormous.
“Our opponents are mainly Norwegians, and we have no idea what they’re up to, but they’re always trying, as do we.” Either they or we will have done it in a novel way. Perhaps Elon Musk will have invented some bizarre snow machine that can transport you across Antarctica.
“By 2030, there will be some room for exploration, not by gung-ho people like us – man against the elements and hard travel – but by scientific students who will explore perhaps in the forests of Brazil, where previous botanists have been, but by 2030 they’ll be able to discover with new instruments and equipment, new plants with fantastic medical abilities and that sort of thing.” They almost definitely will not have explored the depths of the oceans in many areas, nor will they have submarines that can go deeper.
“However, the apocalyptic scenario of tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, as well as running out of water in some locations and having too much in others, would have a significant impact.” Because people cannot live in drought-stricken areas, they will and are already fleeing to neighbouring nations, where civil conflicts will erupt.”
Food: Annabel Karmel
Author of a children’s cookbook
“One of my predictions for 2030 is that newborns will be exposed to (and love) more exotic flavours from a young age.” Today’s parents are considerably more confident in the kitchen, and I believe this trend will continue.
“Veganism is another movement that is here to stay.” It is still on the increase and shows no signs of slowing down. Because of the health and environmental ramifications, we have become highly careful of what we eat as well as what we give our children. There are several health benefits connected with veganism, and although a vegan diet may undoubtedly work for adults, a completely plant-based diet for children requires continuous supervision. When it comes to weaning babies and the baby food business, I believe there will be a trend toward being more vegetarian-friendly rather than vegan. I’d also like to believe that by 2030, we’ll have beef and chicken alternatives that not only taste like the originals, but also match in nutritional content.
“I also anticipate a decrease in childhood allergies as more knowledge on how to help avoid allergies becomes available.”
“Finally, I believe there will be a greater availability of ‘quick food.'” I’m talking about the convenience of getting wonderful food virtually instantly — just look at the success of meal delivery apps and how we can have dishes from our favourite restaurants with the press of a button on our phones.”
Art: Vilma Jurkute
Alserkal’s Director
“Over the last decade, the region’s creative economy has catapulted it to the forefront of the international cultural landscape.” Organizations that deliver on their public promises with integrity and sustainability will further challenge the short-termism and reductive thinking that are sometimes associated with the value of work produced by cultural precincts.
“By seeing cultural clusters as social synergies rather than constructed environments driven by economic logic, we have a unique chance for experimental and context-specific models like Alserkal’s to develop throughout the area over the next decade.
“As a result, multi-localism-driven sustainable homegrown ecosystems will become increasingly important to the region’s emerging cultural infrastructure and local community development. Younger generations will play a critical role in creating this future dialogue in the creative arena, therefore access to opportunity must be considered. By making it simpler for homegrown cultural producers to innovate further, new histories and meanings within context-specific settings will build new frameworks for belonging while improving social, environmental, and economic sustainability.”
CEOforLIFE – We promote life. We support the SDGs.
