Governments have always planned for the future, with varying degrees of success. However, the State’s efforts to anticipate the needs of future generations rarely capture the imagination of populations more focused on current economic conditions, access to public services, and social stability. The events of 2020/2021 may signal a shift in the priorities of electorates. There has been a move towards climate realism in wealthier countries and a recognition of the need to prepare for the next pandemic. Making changes now to avert possible catastrophes decades in the future is no longer seen as a distraction from current policy concerns, but as an inevitable and core part of the State’s responsibilities to its present and future citizens.