**** 1/28/26 - APA 2026 Trend Report for Planners + info re APA Trend Universe

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Buzz Sawyer

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Jan 30, 2026, 11:19:47 PM (2 days ago) Jan 30
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(1) from publication description at bottom of this email 
"This is the fifth Trend Report for Planners developed by the American Planning Association (APA)
in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. As in previous years, the 2026 Trend 
Report features a list of over 100 existing, emerging, and potential future trends that the APA 
Foresight team and our Trend Scouting Foresight Community identified as relevant to planning."


(2) the report itself is at link below:

the table of contents is below:
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(3) The APA TrendsUniverse is at link below:
      which is described as follows:    

The Trend Universe is the place to find the key trends in planning identified by APA as part of its foresight practice, updated to reflect the accelerating pace of change of today and tomorrow. Here, you can find existing trends (act on them now), emerging trends (start preparing for them), and potential future trends (keep watching and learn more about them), all organized around eight general themes. APA's Trend Universe is developed with partners, experts, and practitioners as part of APA's Trend Scouting Foresight Community.

this include info re trends in the following categories:
Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment
Economic Development
Housing
Politics and Geopolitical Dynamics
Social Change
Technology
Transportation and Infrastructure
Work and the Workplace



2026 Trend Report for Planners

By Petra Hurtado, PhD, Ievgeniia Dulko, Senna Catenacci, Joseph DeAngelis, AICP

Publication

APA Foresight helps planners navigate change and prepare for an uncertain future. With foresight, planners can guide change, create more sustainable and equitable outcomes, and establish themselves as critical to thriving communities. Foresight is not about predicting the future — it is about understanding drivers of change that are outside our control, how we can prepare for them, and when it is time to act. APA Foresight identifies emerging trends and how scenarios stemming from each may impact the world, our communities, and the planning profession in the years to come.

This is the fifth Trend Report for Planners developed by the American Planning Association (APA) in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. As in previous years, the 2026 Trend Report features a list of over 100 existing, emerging, and potential future trends that the APA Foresight team and our Trend Scouting Foresight Community identified as relevant to planning. The trends are structured within three timeframes (Act Now, Prepare, Learn, and Watch), which indicate the urgency of planners' actions. Within each timeframe, trends are grouped into themed clusters. For each trend, the report gives insights and explains why it is important for planners to know about and consider the trend in their work. All trends and signals are based on facts and are neutrally described without judgement.

This report was developed in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

2026 Trend Report for Planners — Screen Reader Version

By formatting this publication for screen readers, we aim to ensure that it is accessible to the widest possible audience, fostering inclusivity and supporting the independence and productivity of all users. This approach not only complies with accessibility standards and legal requirements but also demonstrates our commitment to universal access and equality.

2026 Trend Report for Planners - Screen Reader Version

Details

Page Count
 
79
Date Published
 
Jan. 28, 2026
Format
 
Adobe PDF
Publisher
 
American Planning Association National

About the Authors

Table of Contents

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