16 must-read stories for the weekend

Can business help solve the refugee crisis? Migration rules force many well-qualified migrants from the job market. Employers short on talent are beginning to see them as a way to solve skills gaps.

The Pope’s encyclical is about more than climate change. The challenges posed by ‘integral ecology’ – the interconnectedness of current crises – suggests solutions will require more sophisticated thinking from leaders and cross-disciplinary research by scientists.

The geopolitics of nanotechnology. Advances in surveillance and weaponry are set to change diplomacy and warfare.  Research and development in the ‘science of small things’ will be critical for national power.

Contradictions on Greece? Throughout the financial crisis, Greece has been told to cut spending and achieve a budget surplus. But that’s at odds with IMF research.

What will cities look like in 2100? More robots than people, with citizens bionically connected to health and driverless transport systems. And for those who reject hyper connectivity? A new lifestyle choice: go unplugged.

Do the BRICS need a stronger voice? Their economies will be collectively bigger than those of the G7 by 2050. But the failure of growth to prompt greater representation in global governance risks a fragmentation of the world’s institutions.

The true cost of inequality. Increased vulnerability to financial shocks, natural disasters and social unrest. (Guardian)

It’s not just Greece. The country’s woes could be blinding investors to rising risks in other eurozone countries. Cites the Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. (Financial Times)

Taking a stand against climate change. Back in April, 43 CEOs signed an open letter, coordinated by the Forum, calling for concrete action. So why aren’t more American businesses on board? (Huffington Post)

Only 24% of sub-Saharan Africa has electricity. This young CEO, a member of the Forum’s Global Shapers Community, is changing that. (Mic)

Rich countries, poor roads. Forum research finds that some advanced countries are lagging behind developing nations when it comes to the quality of their roads. (Independent)

Driverless cars are expected to cut accidents by 90%. Premiums are likely to fall by a similar margin. But with laws forcing manufacturers to take on liability, motor insurance could shift to carmakers.

There’s a big risk that inequality will increase as societies age. Socio-demographic differences in skills, wealth, and health tend to rise with age. The best policy response could be better education for the young.

Political tensions between China and the US have risen. Yet economically the two have never been more interdependent. The US must acknowledge China’s “legitimate aspirations for a voice in the international system,” and Beijing should take some “maritime disputes off the table.”

The internet of things could be worth $11 trillion a year by 2025.That estimate would equate to 11% of GDP. But achieving it would require clearing a series of technical, organisational and regulatory challenges.

The end of banking as we know it? How peer-to-peer lenders are reshaping entire industries and economies.

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Author: Adrian Monck is Managing Director and head of Public Engagement at the World Economic Forum.

Image: A visitor stands in front of QR-codes information panels during a ceremony to open an information showroom dedicated to the Zaryadye park project in central Moscow April 29, 2014. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov