In 2050, Europe has become a model of harmony between technology and nature. Cities, once dominated by concrete, are now urban forests, with green facades and vegetable gardens on every balcony. My own balcony, thanks to a connected greenhouse, provides me with vegetables and herbs all year round, fed by a discreet vermicomposter. Transportation is silent, powered by solar energy and hydrogen. Individual cars have given way to shared, autonomous capsules. The air is clean, the streets are peaceful, and children can play safely. Education has evolved: schools teach both artificial intelligence and permaculture. Work is more flexible, allowing people to devote time to their passions. Energy sobriety is no longer an effort, but a natural way of life. Looking at my urban vegetable garden that morning, I realize that the future we imagined in 2025 has become reality.

China has risen to become a global superpower and eco-civilization: a leader in artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, e-mobility and environmental protection. "Made in China" has become a mark of quality. The consequences: Western companies have a stronger competitor, but can also benefit from the growing Chinese market; stronger cooperation with Chinese companies and a convergence of language and mindset are becoming more important.

The world of work is one of those realities that should undergo a change, more and more the desire to go elsewhere and get away from the daily grind, the hectic pace of the day, appears and transpires. It would be useful to streamline the work days, to allow people to produce better and with more serenity, no more commuters stuck in traffic and stressed adults trying, climbing the walls, to make ends meet.

In the society of the future, we share and think in a circular way, using the Earth's resources so that there is enough for everyone and so that we do not jeopardize our future. Waste no longer exists, but everything we produce and manufacture is fed back into systems to be used and given new life. Artificial intelligence (AI) has freed up resources to change the way people work, leaving more time for creativity, humanity and other things that make us feel good. We are living longer. Individualism has peaked and measuring performance has been replaced by intrinsic motivation and a sense of belonging. We are not our professions but people, with more time for thought and reflection. The society of 30 years from now will be a strong society where we have taken responsibility for, and adapted to, climate challenges. Technological developments and the exponential growth of digitalization have created good conditions and shared knowledge, understanding and insight have guided us in how to use them in the best way. We operate in a global context where we reach the whole world no matter where we are.