AC/UNU Millennium Project

Global Lookout Study 1999-2000 - Round 3

Interview Protocol


 

EACH INTERVIEWEE IS TOLD THE FOLLOWING:

The Millennium Project is conducting a set of interviews around the world with carefully chosen leaders in government, corporations, UN and other international organizations, and NGOs to focus on the regional implications of global challenges that face the world at the millennium. While the challenges the Project has studied affect the world as a whole, they have different impacts and possible responses in different regions. In this interview we want to examine some of the impacts and responses of the challenges for our region. The results will be published in the State of the Future at the Millennium. You will receive a copy.

(IF THE RESPONDENT PARTICIPATED IN 1997, 1998, or 1999)

SAY: You were a participant in an earlier part of the study; now, based on the judgments that you and others contributed, we intend to focus on name of region.

(IF THE RESPONDENT IS NEW TO THE STUDY)

SAY: Previously, global challenges and actions have been suggested by over 550 scholars and policy makers; we would like to include your views about what these challenges mean to our region.

TO ALL INTERVIEWEES:

SAY: Your comments and the comments of other participants in these interviews will not be attributed, but you will be listed in the State of the Future.

SAY: This interview has three parts.

1) First, I will show you a list of the global challenges that the Project has produced so far and ask you to pick one or two for our discussion, based on your judgment about which are most important to our region and closest to your interests.
Please explain why you picked these challenges - why you think the challenges may be important to name of region.

2) Second, we will extend this discussion to focus on particular perspectives, impacts, and actions for our region. Last year a questionnaire was circulated among futurists, academics, and policy advisors asking for suggestions. I will show you some of the impacts and actions that they suggested and ask for your comments.

3) Three, I will ask about actions that are being taken or might be taken here to improve the situation.

Part 1.

SAY: Here is a list of a few of the 15 global challenges that the Project has produced:

  1. How can sustainable development be achieved for all?
  2. How can everyone have sufficient clean water without conflict?
  3. How can population growth and resources be brought into balance?
  4. How can genuine democracy emerge from authoritarian regimes?
  5. How can policy making be made more sensitive to global long-term perspectives?
  6. How can the globalization and convergence of information and communications technologies work for everyone?
  7. How can ethical market economies be encouraged to help reduce the gap between the rich and poor?
  8. How can the threat of new and reemerging diseases, and immune micro-organisms be reduced?
  9. How can the capacity to make correct decisions be improved as the nature of work and institutions are changing?
  10. How can shared values and new security strategies reduce ethnic conflict, terrorism, and the use of weapons of mass destruction?
  11. How can the changing status of woman improve the human condition?
  12. How can organized crime be stopped from becoming more powerful and sophisticated global enterprises?
  13. How can the growing energy demand be safely and efficiently met?
  14. How can scientific and technological breakthroughs be accelerated to improve the human condition?
  15. How can ethical considerations become more routinely incorporated into global decisions?
NOTE: The interviewee is handed the list of challenges, one or two are suggested but others can be chosen.

SAY: Please pick one or two for our discussion.

We have made some suggestions below. These are based on the previous inputs related to the importance of issues, opportunities and developments in your region. However, you are free to choose the challenge(s) that you consider most important for your region.

Interview Protocol Grid
 
Node
Total
Suggested Challenges
IO/UN
Gov. & Polit.
Corporat.
NGOs
Beijing (China)
15
 1, 2, 3, 13
1
7
3
4
Buenos Aires (Argentina)
5
 1, 5, 6, 12
0
2
2
1
Cairo (Egypt)
5
 2, 4, 8, 9, 10
1
2
1
1
Lismore (Australia)
5
 1, 3, 9, 13
0
1
2
2
London (UK)
5
 7, 8, 14, 15
1
1
2
1
Madurai (India)
8
 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 13
1
3
2
2
Moscow (Russia)
10
 4, 10, 12, 13
0
5
3
2
Central Europe
6
 4, 5, 14, 15
0
2
2
2
Rome (Italy)
4
 6, 8, 11, 15
1
1
1
1
Teheran (Iran)
4
 7, 10, 11
0
2
2
0
Tokyo (Japan)
10
 5, 6, 7, 12, 14
1
3
4
2
Washington, D.C.
30
 5, 6, 9, 12
8
8
7
7
Total
107
 
14
37
31
25

NOTE: please feel free to let your interviewee select just one if he/she/you prefers.

Part 2

SAY: Thanks for choosing the challenges for this interview.

We have been collecting some opinions about what the challenges may mean to people and institutions in various regions of the world. In general, most regions feel that many of the global challenges are mirrored in their regions and that some local actions would be beneficial.

Now let’s discuss the challenges you selected.

Please tell me why you chose this (these) challenge(s)?

What special significance do you think they have for our country and/or region?

Is there a unique perspective on this challenge in your region?

If action is taken by other regions are we likely to be affected?

If action is taken at a global level how might we be affected?

 NOTE: As the interviewer, you may ask these or related questions that encourage the interviewee to share his/her most important ideas for the rest of the world to know about your region. You may want to prompt the interviewee with some suggested regional impacts or consequences of the challenges. You can download the suggestions derived from the first round from our web site: http://www.geocities.com/~acunu/millennium/rd1-99-results.html . They are organized by challenge and region. If you have any problem, please let Elizabeth know which region/challenges you need and she will send them as attached files.

Part 3

SAY: There were a few ideas that we discussed that seemed to be very important to you.

NOTE: Here the interviewer reminds the interviewee about the two or three ideas that he or she said were important. These will be reviewed one at a time.

SAY: Can you now please tell me what regional actions you think ought to be taken to address them? OPTIONAL: We have found in our previous work that actions generally fall into the following categories:

1. Reaching Alliances, Agreements and Treaties
2. Engaging in Social Marketing and Promotion of Viewpoints
3. Creating Standards and Permits
4. Enforcing or Modify Laws and Regulations
5. Performing Research and Development
6. Engaging in Meetings, Dialogs or Workshops
7. Creating Economic Systems, Sanctions and Incentives
8. Improving Planning, Accounting and Forecasting
9. Creating Educational Programs
10. Developing and Sharing Information
11. Modifying Institutions, Infrastructure, and Priorities
12. Initiating New Institutions, Projects, and Programs Conclusion

SAY: We are planning a possible seminar on these topics in 2000. Who from our region do you think would be particularly appropriate to invite?

Interviewer thanks the interviewee, and obtains his/her name, title, etc.

*** End of the Interview ***

Dear Node Chairs and Other Interviewers:

You should write up your interview from your notes as soon as possible and e-mail them to: Jerry <jglenn@igc.org> with copy to Ted <tedjgordon@worldnet.att.net> and Elizabeth <acunu@igc.org>.

Include:

  1. Name, address and affiliation of the interviewee (note if Gov., IO, NGO, or Corp.)
  2. The challenges selected in Part 1
  3. The reasons given for the selection of the challenges given and the specific regional implications of the global challenges, from Part 2.
  4. The actions suggested as appropriate for the region, from Part 3.
  5. List of People who might be invited to participate in a regional seminar on these topics.
Send the interviews as soon as you finished writing them. Please do not wait until you have finished all your interviews. Please do not send them all at once.

All the best,
Jerry and Ted


1999 Global Lookout
Millennium Project home page
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