Imagine you are going on a trip with your family.
There are three diferent ways your trip could go:
The frst way is what you think will probably happen,
based on what you know about your trip and the
place you're going. This is called the "expected" way.
The second way is what you would really like to
happen. It's like having a wish for how your trip
could be. This is called the "preferred" way.
The third way is diferent from the frst two. It's a way
that you might not expect, but it's still possible. It's
like having a backup plan in case things don't go the
way you expect or the way you want. This is called
an "alternative" way.
EXPECTED,
PREFERRED AND
ALTERNATIVE
FUTURES
“TNC DEVELOPED TWO SCENARIOS FOR THE FUTURE: ONE WAS BUSINESS AS USUAL, AND THE
OTHER WAS A CONSERVATION PATHWAY. WE LEARNED THAT BY 2050 WE CAN SUPPORT BOTH
CONSERVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.”
TWO PATHS TO 2050
Thinking about these diferent ways helps you and your family plan for your trip and make the
most of it, even if things don't go exactly as you expected or wanted. The same idea applies to
thinking about the future and planning for a more sustainable world. We can think about what we
expect to happen, what we would like to happen, and what else could happen, so that we can
make good choices and take actions to help create a better future for everyone.