In this episode of the Futures Hub podcast, we are joined by Julius Lindsay, climate strategist and futurist with over twenty years of experience working across municipalities, nonprofits, and national initiatives in Canada.
Julius shares his approach to systems thinking and why his perspective on climate leadership has shifted over time from high-level policy to deeply local, community-based action. He explores why trust, context, and conversation matter more than control, and how climate work can move from telling people what to do to enabling communities to lead.
The conversation also dives into the Prismatic Project – an initiative developing a futures-based game that helps communities imagine climate futures using Black and Indigenous worldviews. Julius explains how games and creative forms of engagement can lower barriers to participation and why involving voices beyond traditional “experts” leads to better outcomes.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in climate action and reimagining public participation beyond traditional consultation.
Whether you work in climate policy, local government, community organizing, or are simply curious about how we can plan for more inclusive futures, this conversation offers practical insights and a powerful reframing of what’s possible.
Timestamps
02:30 – From Physics to Climate Governance
05:15 – Careers, Uncertainty and Futures That Don’t Exist Yet
06:55 – Rethinking Climate Leadership: From Global to Community
10:07 – Where Do We Start? Enabling Communities to Lead
15:11 – Bridging Polarization Through Translation
19:40 – Engagement as Conversation, Not Compliance
23:27 – Defining Strategic Foresight
27:06 – Introducing the Prismatic Project
30:19 – What’s Next? Games, Books, and Showing What’s Possible
People, Organizations & Initiatives Mentioned in This Episode
- Julius Lindsay: Website & LinkedIn
- Peter Jones
- The Prismatic Project (Watch Julius’s LinkedIn for more updates)
- Ekow Nimako
- City of Mississauga’s Climate Change Escape Room