What are the capabilities necessary to meet 21st century challenges? Much of the literature on 21st century skills focuses on skills necessary to meet those challenges associated with future work in a globalised world. The result is a limited characterisation of those capabilities necessary to address 21st century social, health and particularly ecological challenges. In this paper I seek to describe those capabilities necessary to address a broad range of 21st century challenges by conducting a conceptual or philosophical analysis of 21st century capabilities and their relationship to 21st century challenges. If we are to effectively meet 21st century challenges then the next generation will need to be highly adept (even more so than the current generation) in critical thinking, holistic thinking, practical reasoning, creativity and imagination.