Trend Category

Politics and Geopolitical Dynamics

Political and geopolitical trends shape and are shaped by changes across the societal landscape, and are being exacerbated by the acceleration of political polarization and emerging global challenges.

Trends to Act on Now

Reparations programs

Reparations programs explicitly address the history of injustices that have led to lower socioeconomic status forcommunities of color.Cities includingAsheville, North...

Growing Migration

The number of refugees globally has dramatically increased over the past two years. According to the UN Refugee Agency, in...

Public Distrust

The mainstreaming of conspiracy theories, along with the widespread reach of an array of social media platforms, are leading to...

Political division and polarization

The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, social inclusion, and other important topics have increased political polarization in the U.S. and globally....

State Preemption of Local Action

In 2023, aggressive preemption billsin state legislatures continue to constrain local governments' abilities to regulate areas of concern. In Texas,...

New leadership for local priorities

Over the past few years, local governments have begun to create new roles with cross-sectoral functions indicating new priorities, including...

Geopolitics of energy demands

Trends such as net zero, decarbonization, and electrification are emerging globally, and different levels of government are trying to transition...

Removal of controversial symbols

Controversial symbols, such as Confederate monuments and streets named after contentious historical figures, are increasingly being questioned and, in some...

Trends to Prepare For

Tech as a geopolitical tool

Urban technologies can be consideredgeopolitical toolsand, much like traditional resources, they are now at the forefront of international disputes and...

Deglobalization and REGIONALIZATION

Globalization increased after WWII, accelerating to hyperglobalization in the 1990s and 2000s. The financial crisis in 2008slowed downthis trend, and...

Universal basic income pilots

There is a growing interest in universal basic income across the U.S. Many cities — fromBirmingham, Alabama, to Phoenix— are...

Trends to Learn About and Watch

Space-based governance

The space race in the private sector is allowing for the industry to mature beyond just a few key players....

Rematriation through land taxes

Communities are taking the first steps in support of rematriation, or the return of Indigenous lands. One approach is by...

Uncertain government motivations

Major decisions by the U.S. Supreme Courtin 2022created a source of uncertainty and exacerbated ongoing political polarization. In June, the...

Trend Reports

APA's foresight research is made possible in part through our partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

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