Agenda articles

Explore the Forum’s latest opinion articles, timely analyses and explainers from leaders in business, politics, and civil society.

51,460 articles

Sustainable Development

The ‘Intelligent Age’ has arrived. This is how it can accelerate SDG progress

Global progress on the SDGs is lagging but emerging technologies such as AI and green tech in the Intelligent Age could accelerate sustainable development.

Mirek Dušek

October 1, 2024

R. N. Sahoo, a senior scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), prepares to install a high resolution remote sensor used for crop mapping in a wheat field at IARI in New Delhi, March 20, 2015. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to promote a "per drop, more crop" approach to farming to make better use of scarce water, and aims to have a new satellite crop monitoring system working in time for the peak of this year's monsoon in July. Picture taken March 20, 2015. Industrial intelligence is allowing industries, including agriculture and the food and beverage sector, to achieve more with less; helping to fight climate change while preserving resources.

Fourth Industrial Revolution

How industries are leveraging industrial intelligence to achieve more with less

Industries worldwide are on the cusp of the industrial intelligence revolution — and it will be driven by AI, analytics, digital twins and other new tech.

Caspar Herzberg

October 1, 2024

Cybersecurity

Spotlight on cybersecurity: 10 things you need to know in 2024

From ‘pig-butchering’ and ‘zombie computers’ to ransomware and the US election, here are 10 things to know about cybercrime and cybersecurity in 2024.

Kate Whiting

October 1, 2024

Emerging Technologies

‘It’s just like plugging in your phone’ – one founder on the mindset shift needed to scale EVs

EV sales are rising but public charging is still a barrier. This start-up has a solution – partnering with building owners to use some of their power.

David Elliott

September 30, 2024

Climate Action

3 ways climate change is affecting kids' health

A UNICEF director explains how climate-induced events are affecting children's survival, growth and development around the world.

Rebecca Geldard

September 30, 2024

Handshake; ASEAN, political leadership, transition.

Geo-Economics and Politics

How political leadership transitions could shape Southeast Asia's future

Opinion

Recent political leadership changes could create greater solidarity, much-needed economic reforms and deeper regional integration for ASEAN countries.

Vijay Eswaran

September 30, 2024

Aluminium is pictured at an oven in a foundry of German automotive supplier G.A. Roeders at the company's plant in Soltau, Germany, August 5, 2022. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer

Climate Action

3 challenges the aluminium industry should solve to decarbonize faster

The global aluminium industry contributes around 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions and a total of 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

Martin Feth and Jelena Aleksić

September 30, 2024

A woman taking a step ladder into a coffee shop at night in Japan: Short-term job matching services are increasingly serving rural communities in Japan.

Jobs and the Future of Work

‘Spare-time’ job matching services are supporting Japan’s rural communities. Here's how

Local governments are partnering with private companies to create rural job matching services in Japan, focused on casual work to address labour shortages.

Naoko Tochibayashi and Mizuho Ota

September 30, 2024

Dr. Jacqueline Weyer, head of Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, demonstrates some of the activities at the The National Institute For Communicable Diseases Of South Africa (NICD) which plays a role in the country's response efforts to Mpox, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Health and Healthcare Systems

India confirms first case of fast spreading mpox strain, and other top health stories

Top health news: Mpox strain of concern reported in India; Antimicrobial resistance warning at UNGA; Microplastics found in the olfactory part of the brain.

Shyam Bishen

September 30, 2024

The European Central Bank (ECB) headquarters.

Financial and Monetary Systems

Chief economists on the global economic outlook and other economy stories to read this week

Top economy news: Global economic outlook: Signs of stability but vulnerabilities remain; Easing inflation in eurozone; Moderate rise in US consumer spending.

Rebecca Geldard

September 30, 2024

Neurotechnology has great potential benefits in treating brain-related health issues — but for children, its emergence poses risks, too.

Emerging Technologies

Neurotechnology is here. It's time we get serious about what that means for children

Opinion

Neurotechnology is already here — and its use is set to explode in the coming decade. We must consider how we best manage this tech's use with children.

Eleonore Pauwels and Steven Vosloo

September 27, 2024

Sustainable Development

SDIM24 highlights: Connectivity and bridging gaps - plus some surprising stats

From report launches to sessions, here are the highlights of the World Economic Forum's Sustainable Development Impact Meetings (SDIM24), held from 23-27 September in New York.

Linda Lacina and Pooja Chhabria

September 27, 2024

Linguistic diversity gap in AI was part of the discussions at the 'AI for Global Good' session at the Sustainable Development Impact Meetings.

Emerging Technologies

The ‘missed opportunity’ with AI's linguistic diversity gap

In a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, a critical gap is emerging: the inability of AI systems to serve the rich linguistic diversity of our population.

Pooja Chhabria and Chris Hamill-Stewart

September 27, 2024

Many global fintech hubs are following the regulatory airport model.

Financial and Monetary Systems

Fintech has outgrown sandboxes. Now it needs airports

The regulatory sandbox concept is falling out of favour in fintech. Regulatory airports can now help enable more real-world commercial opportunities.

Dante Disparte

September 27, 2024

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