4 epic global trends that could change the world by 2030

AP Photo/Patrick Reevell

In 2012, the US government put on its futurist hat and published a report entitled "Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds."

It's a surprisingly lucid text, full of both grim predictions and hopeful insights about the world that humans will inhabit within the next two decades.

One section deals with so-called "mega-trends" — world-changing patterns in society, health care, government, and resources. The report outlines four mega-trends that are poised to create the greatest impact in the years to come.

Here's what we can expect.

1. Individual empowerment

Over the next 15-20 years, the government expects that the majority of the world's population will no longer be impoverished — a world first — thereby granting people newfound empowerment and autonomy in their lives.

Continued giving from groups like the World Health Organization and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will lift millions of people out of poverty, the report argues. It classifies "individual empowerment" as the most important mega-trend because it is both a cause and effect of other trends.

The report hedges slightly, however, because more empowered people will also have greater access to lethal weapons and networks, which is "a capability formerly the monopoly of states."

2. Diffusion of power

If current economic and demographic trends hold, North America and Europe will lose status and influence as developing countries in Asia become more prominent world powers, the report states.

"China alone will probably have the largest economy, surpassing that of the United States a few years before 2030," it explains. "In a tectonic shift, the health of the global economy increasingly will be linked to how well the developing world does — more so than the traditional West."

What will ultimately decide the fate of any country is how well it adapts to the new nature of globalized networks. Having the most money or people won't necessarily keep a country powerful if others are more adept at staying connected to data and resources.

3. Demographic patterns

A combination of aging populations, fewer children, migration, and urbanization will lead to a dramatically different world in 2030.

With an expected 8.3 billion people, human civilization will be both older and much more focused on city life, which could create uncomfortable scenarios. Our infrastructure may improve, but our level of innovation and output will slow down without younger workers. "Aging countries will face an uphill battle in maintaining their living standards," the report states.

It's entirely possible, however, that within the next several decades, humanity will generate more urban construction than it has in the rest of its history.