It is clear that we all (global leaders and individuals alike) need to focus on ways to combat the climate crisis. Trend experts Foresight Factory predicts that 2022 will see more of us using technology to self-monitor our impact on the planet – for example, to monitor our carbon footprint. The emphasis is on understanding the impact of our actions on the wider world, seeing the environmental cost and acting to change this. The coming year will see this become second nature.

Seeing the difficult jobs that people on the front line of the pandemic have done – and are continuing to do – has led to a rethink of how work and workers are valued. We are increasingly conscious that there is not just an environmental cost to the products we consumer, but a human one too. In 2022, there will be an expectation that workplaces will care for their employees and freelancers, and encourage healthier lifestyles. This will have an impact on how workplaces affect our health. For example, buildings are now being designed to include lighting designs that optimise natural light, an emphasis on air quality and open spaces that encourage social interaction and collaboration.

Contact with the natural world has been shown to enhance our well-being – it was what made that daily walk so important during lockdown, after all. It is also why biophilic design (bringing the natural world into our homes and work environments) has been a priority for interior designers and architects recently – and it is a priority that will continue in 2022. In fact, a focus on wellness has already chimed with the many people who reassessed their priorities in 2021. A greater focus on mental health and what really matters points to a positive outlook for the year ahead for many.

After nearly two years of ‘missing out’, it is no surprise that we are looking for ways to redress the emotional deficit, and this need to experience everything will continue this year. For example, mood pairing – choosing food, leisure or media to match our mood – is likely to become popular in 2022. And despite our continued addiction to digital devices, we will see a desire to go beyond the click or swipe and get a bit more hands-on with our pastimes. Crafting apparently was not just for lockdown: many more are taking up a tactile hobby than before the pandemic or enjoying product box subscription services. Not all experiences can be satisfied by staring at a screen, it seems.