Systematic Participatory Foresight Approach: A guide for practitioners

The framework employs systems thinking, a holistic approach to understanding the complexities and dynamics of various systems. It ensures gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) integration through a participatory approach that not only guarantees inclusion but also bridges the gap between global scientific knowledge and traditional place-based knowledge through a suite of participatory future-oriented tools. Through methods like scenario building, stakeholders envision multiple plausible futures, allowing them to explore the risks and opportunities associated with each. This exploration of potential futures allows us to stress-test policies and interventions, ensuring strategic planning for a robust and resilient future. This practitioner’s guide provides a structured participatory framework designed to guide communities, governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other organisations to develop long-term resilient climate adaptation plans and policies. It outlines the systematic yet flexible four-phase foresight process: (a) scoping, (b) sensitising, building understanding, and mapping the system (c) participatory scenario development, and (d) mobilising for systems change, that is grounded in evidence-based practice. Each phase is supported by a suite of practical participatory foresight tools with clear guidelines on their application. GESI principles are integrated throughout these phases through a four-step process. This manual is not just a guide but a catalyst to build inclusive, adaptive, and forward-looking capacities to integrate participatory foresight approaches into formal policy planning cycles, ensuring tangible actions and investments towards a desired resilient future. This publication is accompanied by the Systematic Participatory Foresight Toolkit, which provides step-by-step guidance on implementing practical foresight tools.