GLOBAL CHALLENGES & INTERCONNECTIONS 2026

March 18 2026—What is your reaction when you look at my mind map of the interconnections between our big global challenges in 2026?

Does it make you feel overwhelmed?

OR

Does it inspire you to think about how small changes in one area can unlock big downstream benefits in our future?

Global Challenges & Interconnections 2026 Mindmap v1.5 (click to expand)

I do my futurism by researching game-changers and communicating positive pathways forward. I do this because I believe communicating specific positive opportunities (via keynotes, workshops, articles, videos, the FutureBites podcast) is the best way to inspire audiences to go out and take positive action in their organization or industry, and therefore the best way I can make a difference.

But dwelling on the negatives, while risky for depression, can also yield valuable insights.

Over the weekend I got to thinking about all the interconnections between our global challenges. I started drawing … with the result here.

It’s not perfect — it merely captures the way I happen to be thinking about these things right now.

I’m hoping it will help me prioritize levers for positive change, specific points of leverage/intervention, maybe specific actions offering more “bang for buck” as they relate to individual organizations I work with. We will see!

Perhaps it can also help you frame your thinking? You are welcome to download or print it under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 — or share the love by sharing the link to this page.

And for the record, I see it both ways: everything is interconnected and feedback loops can be positive and negative. But (and most importantly, for me) small positive changes made in one area CAN cascade into big downstream benefits to our future. Small interventions matter!