What is Atlanta Fifty Forward?
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has launched an ambitious initiative, called "Fifty Forward: Metro Atlanta Futures Forum," to explore possible future scenarios for metro Atlanta and forge an action plan to ensure future livability, prosperity and sustainability.
Secretary of State Karen Handel, Atlanta Gas Light President and Senior Vice President for Southern Operations for AGL Resources Suzanne Sitherwood and United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta President Milton Little Jr. are serving as co-chairs of Fifty Forward, representing the public, private and nonprofit sectors of metro Atlanta.
Fifty Forward is a two-year visioning and planning effort that will engage community leaders and interested residents around critical topics that our region will confront as we move forward and craft a vision for our preferred future. Each forum will present a nationally or globally recognized authority on a specific trend, issue or policy area. The speaker will be joined by a response panel of local experts, followed by an open house-style discussion. Eight forums, each a one-day event, will take place over the course of 2008 and 2009.
The first forum with Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels explored sustainability and highlighted various initiatives that are balancing the needs of today with the needs of future generations. Some of the more promising sustainability efforts include green building, renewable and alternative fuels, more efficient land use and water conservation -– all topics that are vital to Atlanta’s present and future.
Other Futures Forums may focus on energy and alternative fuels, health issues and advances, population and employment shifts, technological innovations and future development patterns.