SGI 2024 | Governing with Foresight

In this category, we are interested in examining the extent to which the government succeeds in advancing internal processes and structures that create the conditions for improved capacity for preparedness and analysis.

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United States

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The United States performs comparatively well (rank 7) in the category of sensemaking.

No central body is responsible for strategic foresight. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy proposes science and tech research initiatives, while the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency funds high-risk, high-reward projects.

Regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) are not legally required, but various executive orders and agency guidelines encourage their use. However, some agencies do not have the resources to conduct comprehensive RIAs, and no uniform standards are in place.

There is no overarching statutory requirement for sustainability assessments in RIAs, but the Biden administration instructed federal agencies to prioritize environmental justice and consider climate change impacts in regulatory actions. Federal agencies widely use ex post evaluations to assess the impact and effectiveness of federal policies.

Sensemaking