Backcasting - a framework for strategic planning

Backcasting is a planning methodology that is particularly helpful when pro blems at hand are complex and when present trends are part of the problems. When applied in planning towards sustainability, backcasting can increase the likelihood of handling the ecologically complex issues in a systematic and coordinated way, and also to foresee certain changes, even from a self- beneficial point of view, of the market and increase the chances of a relat ively strong economic performance. To that end, backcasting should be perfo rmed from a set of non-overlapping principles that are general enough to be helpful in the coordination of different sectors of society and in busines s, as well as to cover relevant aspects of sustainability. Such principles are helpful when developing reliable non-overlapping indicators for monitor ing of the development when coordinating various measures from different se ctors of the society or within individual firms with each other, and when h andling trade-offs in a relevant way. Furthermore, the transition can benef it from being undertaken in a strategic step-by-step manner, by which such investments search for those that combine two qualities: (i) technical flex ibility to serve as platforms for future investments in line with non-overl apping principles of sustainability, and (ii) good possibilities of giving relatively fast return on investment. This framework for planning is develo ped together with the Natural Step, a nongovernment organization, and in co llaboration with a network of scientists and business. Examples are given f rom firms applying the framework.