Study highlights emerging economic, technological, social and security risks.
Dubai: Dubai Police has identified 28 major forces that could shape the region’s future as part of a study designed to help institutions prepare for a rapidly changing world.
Developed by the Future Foresight Centre at Dubai Police in collaboration with experts and specialists, the study examines how current developments, including geopolitical shifts in the Middle East, could evolve and affect cities and institutions in the years ahead.
Rather than seeking to predict exactly what the future will look like, the study explores multiple possible outcomes and the forces that could shape them. Its aim is to give decision-makers a clearer understanding of potential scenarios and help them prepare for emerging risks and opportunities.
28 forces shaping what comes next
The study examines 28 future drivers and key trends that could influence the region’s economic, technological, social, environmental, political and security landscape.
It also explores how these forces could interact and combine to create new challenges. This approach allows institutions to assess a broader range of possible outcomes rather than relying on a single forecast.
The scenarios cover developments that could have a direct impact on cities and communities, including emerging security threats and changes driven by technology and geopolitical tensions.
Cyberattacks among emerging risks
Brigadier Dr Hamdan Ahmad Al Ghasiyah, Director of the Future Foresight Centre, said the stability of major cities was becoming increasingly important as they play a central role in the global economy, trade and tourism.
He said assessing the resilience of global cities could no longer rely solely on traditional measures, as social, cultural, technological, political and environmental factors were increasingly interconnected.
Regional tensions and geopolitical developments have also created new risks, particularly cyberattacks and attempts to disrupt critical infrastructure, he said.
Preparing for different futures
Al Ghasiyah said rapid political changes and economic uncertainty had made it increasingly important for institutions to consider what the future could hold.
Scenario planning allows organisations to identify areas of uncertainty and explore different ways events could unfold. By assessing the potential consequences of each scenario, institutions can take proactive measures before emerging risks become more serious.
Colonel Omar Khalifa Balobaida Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director of the Future Foresight Centre, said scenario building was not about predicting a single future.
Instead, it helps organisations look beyond the most obvious outcome, prepare for a range of possibilities and make decisions that can adapt as circumstances change.
The study forms part of Dubai Police’s broader efforts to examine developments over the short, medium and long term. It draws on future-focused research, analysis and scenario planning to strengthen preparedness and support proactive decision-making in an increasingly uncertain regional and global environment.
