On Monday, the World Economic Forum (WEF) got under way in Davos, Switzerland. This is the first Winter Davos since 2020, and it is a welcome return. In 2023, there will be a record number of participants – 2 700, with a record number of heads of state and government ministers, global CEOs, and philanthropists.
This, for me, marks the urgency and seriousness of the situation we face.
As I noted in my pre-WEF article last week, the theme for this year is about “co-operation in a fragmented world”.
As I also noted, there is little hope of a joined-up society where we all benefit, if profits continue to come before people and the planet.
Increasingly, we are facing a series of interwoven and parallel challenges but with an ever-polarising society.
This year’s annual meeting, therefore, aims to address these head on, and I expect to witness and participate in some rather robust discussions and debates on what is needed to help our world heal and work towards a common goal.
Many of us are familiar with what many others, would call “first-world” problems. Do we choose a hybrid or full-on electric vehicle or what to make for dinner, what images to load to our social media streams for example.
Most of us take these “privileges” for granted or as our right to have.
However, for those in emerging economies, access to basic power to enable light so children can see to complete their homework (if they are even in school) or access to the internet and basic connectivity, are secondary when compared to food intake.
It is human energy, at present, that drives this planet and with more of us on it than ever before, and yet more coming, we need to find smart ways to feed us all – not just for satiety but with meaningful sustenance to cut back on the pressure on overwhelmed healthcare systems – many of which, even in the first world, are collapsing.
Coupled with this is move to “greener” earth-enhancing energy to power industry and our daily lives, along with walking or driving the digital pathways to connect us to each other and from point A to point B, it is the access for all the peoples of the world that becomes paramount.
But as we come up with the solutions, there are already those waiting in the wings to scupper progress and claim for themselves the spoils of defeating global co-operation. Cybersecurity, for example, is a growing threat not just to individuals and corporations but to governments around the world.
Financial and digital literacy are musts if we are to protect our personal information or determine what is truth and what are lies served up in misinformation wars. We also need to guard against rampant consumerism that threatens not just our pockets but our environment.
As the cost of living sharply rises and available income (for those who have any in the first place) dwindles, there will be more people on the poverty line and yet more requiring the solutions that come out of such forums as the WEF.
Part of what makes the WEF so successful is the gathering of minds from all walks of life and from countries around the world. For a week, we get to look outside of our own situations from whence we hail and see the bigger picture. Sometimes that is scary, and at other times, hopeful, and hopefully it informs what needs to happen when back on home turf.
Discussions in the days ahead all, in some shape or form, will speak to these key themes – economics, digital pathways, energy and feeding the 8 billion. Viewpoints are varied, just as are the solutions, but the common denominator is that we cannot wait till tomorrow to tackle what needs to be done. And as I mentioned last week, I am hoping that out of this year’s Davos, we will see many active working partnerships and collaborations not only co-operate but perform from the outset.
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