EY’s Four Futures, an immersive experience set in the year 2055 and first launched at COP28, has been officially opened in Belfast today by Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, bringing the experience to Northern Ireland for the first time.
Running until 1 May, EY Four Futures invites policymakers, business leaders, and stakeholders to step into the year 2055 and explore four radically different scenarios for the future of our economy, society and natural environment, each shaped by the decisions we make today.
Developed by EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services team, EY Four Futures brings climate science to life through immersive storytelling, helping participants understand the real‑world consequences of both action and inaction. Across a series of future‑focused scenarios, the experience challenges individuals and organisations to reflect on their personal and collective role in shaping outcomes for people, planet and long‑term prosperity. By bridging climate science with human impact, it helps audiences see, hear and connect with how today’s decisions could affect communities and the economy in the decades ahead, and the responsibility – and opportunity – they have to shape more positive, sustainable outcomes. Rather than predicting what will happen, the experience is designed to provoke discussion, reflection and leadership on the choices that still lie within our control.
The Belfast launch comes at a moment when Northern Ireland is actively shaping the long‑term choices it will make on climate, food systems and economic resilience, as government, industry and communities seek to balance environmental protection, food security and sustainable growth, particularly within the agri‑food and biosciences sectors.
Rob Heron, Managing Partner for EY Northern Ireland said: “Four Futures is designed to move the conversation from abstract climate data to real‑world impact. By bringing leaders face‑to‑face with the possible outcomes of today’s decisions, we hope to create the space for more informed, more ambitious action. At a time when Northern Ireland is setting out clear pathways towards a lower‑carbon, more resilient economy, this experience highlights the importance of collaboration across business and policy in shaping a sustainable future.”
Speaking at the launch of EY’s Four Futures in Northern Ireland, Andrew Muir, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, said: “The launch of EY’s Four Futures is an immensely valuable opportunity to bring stakeholders together linking the science and research with the actions required to address the challenges faced by climate change. Whether it’s in relation to the recently published NI Climate Change Adaptation Plan, Northern Ireland draft Climate Action Programme or work to establish a Just Transition Commission I am determined government plays its part together with others. EY’s Four Futures underlines this importance of collaboration in taking climate action as together we strive to grasp the green growth opportunities on offer”
Four Futures forms part of EY’s broader commitment to supporting organisations to navigate climate risk, regulatory change and the transition to a net‑zero, nature‑positive economy, building on global insights and local context.
The Belfast programme marks the first time Four Futures has been hosted in Northern Ireland, with further sessions planned over the coming days.
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