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The outlook for the immediate future is pessimistic, but global citizens are more optimistic in the longer-term - this is the consensus of a panel discussion hosted by CNBC and Infosys at the World Economic Forum, Davos, on January 24, 2008.

'Welcome to Twenty20: Creating a Future by Design' invited leaders from global companies and futurists to articulate their vision of the future.

The discussion was hosted by Kris Gopalakrishnan, CEO, Infosys Technologies and anchored by Maria Bartiromo of CNBC. Participants discussed possible global scenarios leading up to 2020. The discussion evoked a diverse range of opinions from the audience.

Kris Gopalakrishnan felt that the discussion was important "to anticipate what might happen, reduce the risk of these events happening and create our responses early enough."

Peter Schwartz, a renowned futurist, said that scenario planning was not about the future. "It's about what we think about tomorrow so we can make better choices right now."

Cameron Sinclair of Architecture for Humanity spoke about the need of scenario planning to develop innovative housing solutions. According to her, "By 2020, one in three people will be living in unplanned settlements and refugee camps."

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