What could just and sustainable land use look like in the future? How can we foster a transition in this direction? These questions were the focus of the five-day Future Workshop Transformation of Rural Areas (Zukunftswerkstatt Landwende) on behalf of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. In April 2024, selected participants aged 21 to 28 were welcomed to Halle (Saale) to discuss key controversies surrounding land use and develop future-oriented solutions.
The workshop was structured around three questions: What is the problem? Which direction do we want to go in? How do we get there? In several phases, the participants analysed current challenges and outlined concrete steps to address them. Through a visioning process, the young participants developed a comprehensive vision for sustainable land use in 2070. Their vision was shaped by multifunctional landscapes, ecological agriculture, renewable energy supply, community-oriented and sustainable architecture. Concrete paths towards their vision were developed using a Three Horizons Framework.
The participants not only addressed topics such as biodiversity, climate action and food systems, but also issues of justice, ethics and community. Selected experts supported the process with input on the respective topics.
Sterntaucher Filmproduction documented the future workshop in a short documentary and a graphic novel, which were presented in Berlin on 15 October 2024. Additionally, a group of former participants remains committed to their shared vision and is organised in the KollektiV Landwende.
“Over the course of five days, we – 30 young adults – developed a shared vision for our life in 2070. Through this process, we learned a lot from each other and realised that we are not alone in our desire to shape our future in a positive way.”
(Luisa, participant, testimonial translated from the KollektiV Landwende website)
