The notion of the planetary phase of civilization derives from the work of the Global Scenario Group, an international and interdisciplinary body convened in 1995 to examine alternative long-range futures.
The GSG synthesized its findings for a non-technical audience in the essay Great Transition: The Promise and Lure of the Times Ahead.
The GSG groups the possibilities for how the planetary phase could unfold into three broad scenario types: Conventional Worlds, Barbarization, and Great Transitions.
Conventional Worlds assume the persistence of currently dominant institutions and cultural values, and Barbarization scenarios are marked by social devolution.
Great Transition futures, by contrast, incorporate new institutions rooted in the ascendance of a new suite of values – solidarity, ecological stewardship, well-being – powered by the emergence of a global citizens movement as a potential actor to counter the power of transnational corporations, state governments, and mainstream values.