Global cooperation is at a crossroads. While overall collaboration has flatlined, driven by heightened geopolitical tensions and instability, positive momentum in areas of climate and nature, innovation and technology, and health and wellness offer hope.

By 2034, GovTech – government technology – is poised to unlock $9.8 trillion in public value globally, transforming how governments operate and connect with people. As governments face rising demands for efficiency, transparency and sustainability, GovTech offers solutions that streamline processes, reduce costs and rebuild public trust.

The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) India was launched in 2018, and over the past six years, it has directly impacted 1.25 million citizens across the country, driving meaningful change through its initiatives. As C4IR India enters the next phase of its journey, this report is published to highlight key milestones and emphasize the importance of multistakeholder collaboration in scaling technologies that can address complex developmental challenges.

The business and societal case for investing in resilience and adaptation is increasingly clear. Earth systems—such as ice sheets, ocean currents, and permafrost—are interconnected processes that regulate the planet’s climate, sustain ecosystems, and provide essential services like carbon storage, water filtration, and temperature stabilization. These systems are the foundation of societal and economic stability, enabling communities to thrive. However, they are nearing irreversible tipping points, putting both natural and human systems at significant risk. The potential collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, for instance, could trigger up to 10 meters of sea-level rise, displacing millions and exacerbating food insecurity for over 500 million people.

Climate risks are no longer a distant threat; they are unfolding now, disrupting industries worldwide. Climate-related disasters have inflicted over $3.6 trillion in damage since 2000, with risks accelerating. For businesses, physical risks like extreme weather events and transition risks such as rising carbon pricing are already transforming markets and reshaping business models.

The energy transition is progressing but has lost momentum in the face of increasing global uncertainty, according to the World Economic Forum's Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2024 report. The Energy Transition Index (ETI), which benchmarks 120 countries on their current energy system performance and on the readiness of their enabling environment, finds that while there has been notable progress in energy efficiency and a marked increase in the adoption of clean energy sources, energy transition momentum has been held back by setbacks in energy equity, driven by rising energy prices in recent years. Energy security also continues to be tested by geopolitical risks.

The Global Gender Gap Index annually benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment). It is the longest-standing index tracking the progress of numerous countries’ efforts towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.