Agenda

The stories shaping the Global, Regional and Industry agendas

Global Agenda

5 things for humanitarians to watch out for in 2019

A cloudy economic forecast, the continued march of tech and the resurgence of empathy should all be on the altruist's radar this year.

Caroline Kende-Robb 21 Jan 2019

Arts and Culture

We should care more for each other – it’s good for our health

Perhaps the biggest challenge of all today is our individual insularity. But by looking inwards, we are missing out on the life-enriching opportunities that caring for other people has to offer.

Nico Daswani 21 Jan 2019

Digital Economy and Society

Does the sharing economy truly know how to share?

Global brands like Uber and Airbnb have changed the face of spending – but despite the rhetoric, there's evidence they are entrenching economic divides and isolating poorer customers.

David Morales Olalla and Enrique Crespo 21 Jan 2019

Education and Skills

5 ways to bring school curricula up to speed

New school curricula take so long to develop and implement they are often already outdated by the time they're adopted. How can we speed up the process?

Asheesh Advani 21 Jan 2019

Banking and Capital Markets

These 3 technologies will permanently change the banking sector

Today’s emerging tech will not merely speed up transactions and reduce costs – they could drive a restructuring of the financial sector and shift the balance of power.

Mohit Joshi 21 Jan 2019

Digital Communications

5G isn't just a buzzword. It will change the world

Beyond mobile broadband, it will impact smart cities, robotics, self-driving cars, and foster innovation

CP Gurnani 21 Jan 2019

Agile Governance

Governments must become as agile as startups. Here’s what they need to do

The established “plan and execute” approach must be enhanced with new “sense and respond” capabilities

Mauricio Zuazua and Rudolph Lohmeyer 21 Jan 2019

Digital Economy and Society

Here’s how companies can drive growth for all

Working closely with the public sector and noprofits will provide opportunities to those who need it

Chuck Robbins 21 Jan 2019

Digital Economy and Society

Digital disruption can help us build a better tomorrow

A digitally capable society will be able to constantly create new products and services, provide greater personalization, and solve problems that seem unsolvable

Salil S. Parekh 21 Jan 2019

Regional Agenda

India

Why the world should be watching India's fast-growing cities

India is the world's fastest-growing major economy. With two-thirds of that output driven by urban areas, it's cities are becoming outriders for green global growth.

Sangeeta Prasad 18 Jan 2019

Climate Change

On climate action, Europe must learn from its digital mistakes

When digitalization began to gather pace two decades ago, the political narrative in Europe too often cast it as a threat to jobs - and now Europe lags behind. We must not make the same m...

Werner Hoyer 15 Jan 2019

Arctic

The shrinking Arctic ice protects us all. It’s time to act

Arctic old ice - the ice that stays throughout the summer - is shrinking rapidly. It plays a vital role in regulating the planet's climate, and its loss would be catastrophic. It's time t...

Julienne Stroeve, Gail Whiteman, and Jeremy Wilkinson 09 Jan 2019

Education, Gender and Work

How play can help Africa’s kids develop skills for the future

From creativity to collaboration, the skills that students learn through play can help them thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

John Goodwin 08 Jan 2019

Justice and Legal Infrastructure

What’s behind South Korea’s elderly crime wave?

Serious crime among people over the age of 65 is on the rise in South Korea, as seniors grapple with isolation, poverty and mental health issues.

Rosamond Hutt 04 Jan 2019

Environment and Natural Resource Security

China generates more waste than any other country. How does it deal with it?

China is perfectly placed to innovate digital solutions for waste, especially in its fast-growing food industry.

Angela Chen 13 Dec 2018

Climate Change

We can’t rid Asia of natural disasters. But we can prepare for them

Projects that empower local communities to take charge will boost disaster resilience across the region.

Nathanial Matthews and Deon Nel 11 Dec 2018

China

The geopolitical impact of China’s approach to fighting climate change

China has been championing the concept of 'ecological civilization', which aims to achieve harmony between people and nature. But what does this mean for the rest of the world?

James Pennington and Ariel Kastner 07 Dec 2018

Future of Mobility

China greenlights first underwater high-speed railway

China's high-speed rail network is the largest in the world, and it's about to expand under the sea.

John McKenna 06 Dec 2018

Industry Agenda

Forests

2019 can be the year we begin to save the world’s forests. Here’s how

The world is making progress on deforestation - but we are still losing the battle. Could a new landscape-based approach to protecting our forests be the answer?

Kavita Prakash-Mani and Justin Adams 20 Jan 2019

Arts and Culture

How can our cultural institutions keep up with a rapidly changing world? Embrace diversity

Only 9% of visitors to American museums in 2017 were ethnic minorities - and their representation among museum workforces is not much better. Here's how our cultural institutions can star...

David J. Skorton 20 Jan 2019

Workforce and Employment

Hiring staff with disabilities makes great business sense. Here’s why

There are one billion people with disabilities in the world, yet they are half as likely to employed as their non-disabled peers. Businesses that do tap into this vast pool of underused t...

Susanne Bruyère 20 Jan 2019

Arts and Culture

How design can make the world more accessible to everyone

Good design is user-centred and inclusive by definition - and it can open up the world to everyone, as these innovative examples show.

Caroline Baumann 18 Jan 2019

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

AI has a bias problem. This is how we can solve it

Human bias is often developed into AI. To fix this, we need a fundamental rethink of the assumptions underpinning this vital technology.

James Golden 18 Jan 2019

Oceans

We have the tools to tackle illegal fishing. It’s time to use them

A UN agreement, market action and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies together offer a new opportunity to crack the problem of illegal fishing.

Jim Leape 18 Jan 2019

Workforce and Employment

Why people will remain at the heart of the factories of the future

The digitalization of manufacturing can generate significant benefits - but to make the most of the opportunities it presents, businesses need to empower their people.

Peter Herweck and Annette Clayton 17 Jan 2019

Electricity

How electrification will make the world more inclusive

Increasing access to electricity is driving development in the world's poorer regions - and it could have even greater benefits for the world as a whole.

Lisa Davis 17 Jan 2019

Financial and Monetary Systems

As fintech faces more automation, clients should still come first

Bots, machine learning and distributed ledgers all have great potential to streamline financial services, if we keep in mind the people using them.

Michael C. Bodson 17 Jan 2019