Blogs and Opinions
-
Half of those surveyed are unaware of the link between climate change and diseases like COVID-19
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
Nearly half of the respondents from a global survey do not understand the link between climate change and infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
-
Here’s what could happen to the global economy this year
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
The global economy is on the verge of a “great rebound” and will grow by around 5% this year.
-
2020 was a breakthrough year for electric vehicles. Here’s why
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
After years of hopeful signs, 2020 may well have been the year we reached a tipping point in the adoption of electric vehicles, according to new research.
-
This light show in a field isn’t just pretty – it’s helping grow crops with less need for pesticides
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
A 20,000-square-metre artwork that sees coloured lights appear to dance over a field at night is said to encourage crop growth – and is highlighting the importance of innovation in creating sustainable agriculture.
-
Capital markets can help us reach our climate change goals
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s commitment to speed up emissions cuts in one of the world’s top-polluting nations and reach carbon neutrality by 2060 took the world by surprise. Hong Kong, the financial gateway to mainland China, followed by setting a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050.
-
How collaboration can help us tackle our biggest challenges
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
As we reflect back on 2020, words like cooperation and collaboration may not immediately spring to mind. Not only were we physically separated from each other – but many divisions seemed to widen.
-
Meet Sir Tim Berners-Lee: First he designed the World Wide Web, now he’s redesigning it
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the British computer scientist who was knighted for inventing the internet navigation system known as the World Wide Web, wants to re-make cyberspace once again.
-
Driving change: What’s in store for the future of commuting?
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
Despite being in a global pandemic, essential low-wage workers, healthcare providers, knowledge workers and many others have continued to work. However, since the start of lockdowns in March, some 42 percent of the U.S. workforce has been from working home full-time.
-
Extreme droughts may hit twice as many people by century’s end
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
By the late 21st century, the global land area and number of people facing extreme droughts could more than double, going from 3% during 1976-2005 to 7%-8%, researchers report.
-
Why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask sensitive questions, according to the experts
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
In the dance that is conversation, participants are often reluctant to ask sensitive questions for fear of stepping on their partner’s toes. But that fear is overblown, according to new research that shows that most people don’t really mind answering sensitive questions, and asking them doesn’t leave a bad impression. In fact, direct questions about delicate topics can lead to deeper, more meaningful conversations that foster greater understanding and bring people closer together. Einav Hart, assistant management professor at George Mason University; Eric VanEpps, assistant marketing professor at the University of Utah; and Maurice Schweitzer, a Wharton professor of operations, information and decisions, talked to [email protected] about their paper, “The (Better Than Expected) Consequences of Asking Sensitive Questions,” which was published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. They explained why we might too frequently avoid touchy subjects during conversation, whether with strangers, co-workers or friends.
-
5 reasons to be optimistic about clean energy in 2021
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
The energy sector, still dominated by fossil fuels, is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. We know people and nations need reliable sources of energy to power hospitals and light schools, and to safely cook, heat or cool their homes. We know we need to switch to sustainable energy. Yet despite progress, we are not on track to meet our climate goals and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 – universal access to clean, affordable and reliable energy.
-
Why it’s vital that AI is able to explain the decisions it makes
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has created computers that can drive cars, synthesize chemical compounds, fold proteins and detect high-energy particles at a superhuman level.
-
Health crisis: This is how much waste is being burned in the open every year
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
As much as one billion tonnes of waste could be burned in open and uncontrolled fires around the world each year, according to one estimate – close to half of all the municipal solid waste generated on Earth. But even if the true total is a fraction of that amount, the impact on human health and the environment is likely to be profound, particularly for the hundreds of millions of people living in countries throughout the global south where burning rubbish outdoors is the main method of waste treatment.
-
What is a ‘vaccine passport’ and will you need one the next time you travel?
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
For some countries, access to vaccines are increasingly a reality, and millions of vaccines have been purchased with the hope that in time the world’s populations could become COVID-19 immune.
-
COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 20 January
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe
-
How companies can lead purposeful action in the skilling revolution
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
Even before the pandemic, it was thought 1 billion jobs would be transformed by technology in the next decade, fuelled by growth in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and big data.
-
4 areas we can decode to achieve a sustainable decade
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
Noone could ever have imagined that the onset of the new decade that dawned in 2020 would be so unsettling. The changes brought about by various social, geopolitical, technological, environmental and economic factors have already reshaped the world order – and we are just one year in.
-
This new approach to credit scoring is accelerating financial inclusion in emerging economies
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
The concept of credit scoring first arose in the US and was initially deemed to be successful to the degree it was used as a primary, or even sole, mechanism for identifying one’s financial fitness.
-
Digital was our lifeline in 2020, and we are more positive about it since
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
As we look back on an extraordinary 2020, it’s clear that many old patterns of work, leisure and learning have been transformed. But what impact has this had on how people feel about digital?
-
5 ways business can support and partner with social entrepreneurs
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Mainstream businesses are striving to increase their positive contribution to society, replacing the old shareholder model with a focus on a wider range of stakeholders. As part of this broad agenda of making business more sustainable, there is much potential in developing partnerships with social entrepreneurs and businesses. This is all the more urgent as the COVID crisis has pushed many people back into poverty and the impact of climate change is increasing.
-
How to close the digital gap for the elderly
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Many young people have embraced the convenience of digital technologies such as online shopping, car hailing, digital payments, and telemedicine. But many elderly without a grasp of the latest knowledge are at risk of being left behind.
-
How to solve the investment puzzle of clean energy transitions in the developing world
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Our energy and climate future increasingly hinges on the decisions made in emerging market and developing economies. These areas currently account for around two-thirds of global carbon emissions – with one-third occurring in China and another third arising from other markets – and would represent the largest source of future emissions growth if insufficient action is taken to transform their energy systems.
-
3 technologies that are making education more accessible
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Educational technology – or “edtech” – entered public consciousness over the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic moved learners young and old out of the classroom and into the virtual world of remote education.
-
7 ways AI could restore trust in public services
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
• The large volumes of data handled by government agencies makes them perfect candidates for management by artificial intelligence (AI).
-
The pandemic’s most vital lesson? Business can’t go it alone
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
• The pandemic has reminded us that business organizations are primarily about people.
-
Reimagining the future of the tax system
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Do you believe that 2021 is the year of re-imagining? I do, whether it’s the result of a strategic business decision, a recovery plan to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, or the reaction to a world that’s changed around us – immensely and immutably – over the past year.
-
These new allies for governments can help attain equitable, lasting change
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
The economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will be more severe, more unequal and longer-lasting than anyone has imagined. With increased uncertainty due to new virus strains and renewed lockdown measures, healing the wounds of COVID-19 will be a formidable, high-stakes task for societies and, particularly, for governments.
-
Helping small businesses build financial resilience
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Small businesses in the world’s least developed countries (LDCs) are facing enormous challenges. Many have been left cash-strapped due to plummeting revenues during national and global COVID-19 lockdowns. Banks and other financiers have slashed lending at a time when small businesses need it most. And other forms of finance and credit are thin on the ground, making it nearly impossible for them to grow and build financial resilience.
-
5 ways the future of work can make our lives better
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
• The office experience is not over – but it must evolve.
-
Battery industry at the forefront of a sustainable economy
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
2020 brought the world more than its fair share of seismic changes. Everything from healthcare, to the way we work, and even greet each other has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. One could be forgiven for missing another major development, less obvious but with profound positive impacts for the coming decades: the green revolution is now fully underway.
-
Can green ammonia stop the world’s addiction to fossil fuels?
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Ammonia may not be the antidote to fossil fuels, but it will make a huge contribution to reducing our dependence on them. This article aims to answer some important questions: what is green ammonia; what is the role of hydrogen; what does it mean for food production; and how can it turn shipping green.
-
Japan’s transition to become a decarbonized society
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
The world is now facing two global crises: the coronavirus pandemic and climate change. As we stand at this turning point for civilization, it’s essential that we redesign our socioeconomic systems to be sustainable and resilient. That is why Japan is now taking on the “Three Transitions” challenge towards: a decarbonized society, a circular economy, and a decentralized society.
-
5 ways governments and city leaders should be collaborating on decarbonization
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
• Cities need the support of their parent government to achieve net-zero.
-
COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 19 January
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe
-
Inspired by kombucha tea, engineers create ‘living materials’
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Engineers at MIT and Imperial College London have developed a new way to generate tough, functional materials using a mixture of bacteria and yeast similar to the “kombucha mother” used to ferment tea.
-
The pandemic brought US emissions to their lowest level in three decades
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
The last time US greenhouse gas emissions were this low, George H.W. Bush was in the White House and Ghost and Pretty Woman were at the top of the box office.
-
Most Europeans plan to curb flying, eat less meat for climate, EU poll says
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
A majority of European citizens intend to fly less and already eat less meat to help fight climate change, according to a survey published by the European Investment Bank (EIB).
-
Cities could be 4°C warmer by 2100. Here’s how to keep them cool
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
In cities around the world, temperatures could rise by more than 4℃ by 2100 under a high-emissions climate change scenario, suggests research published this week in Nature Climate Change.
-
COVID-19 is pushing Americans out of cities and into the country
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Some of the largest cities in the U.S. have reported large numbers of people moving away for more rural portions of the country in 2020. Being cooped up in a small apartment for months on end due to the enduring pandemic has proved to be too tiresome for many, and those who haven’t been able to escape urban sprawl this year are at times undoubtedly yearning for greener pastures and wide-open spaces. A new Gallup survey shows how the desire to live in a rural or small-town setting has risen substantially over the past two years.
-
COVID-19: Why virtual mental health care could be here to stay
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
A new study suggests that more than half of people receiving mental health care will want to keep getting care virtually after the pandemic subsides.
-
These are the top risks for business in the post-COVID world
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
Over the past year, the business landscape has become much more precarious due to protracted uncertainty and confusion in pandemic response approaches, the challenges of vaccine rollouts and emerging virus variants – and spillover effects into other risks.
-
These are the world’s greatest threats in 2021
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
The Global Risks Report 2021 is the 16th edition of the Forum’s annual analysis and looks back at a year ravaged by a global pandemic, economic downturn, political turmoil and the ever-worsening climate crisis. The report explores how countries and businesses can act in the face of these risks.
-
Climate change will be sudden and cataclysmic. We need to act fast
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
The speed and scale of the response to COVID-19 by governments, businesses and individuals seems to provide hope that we can react to the climate change crisis in a similarly decisive manner – but history tells us that humans do not react to slow-moving and distant threats. Our evolution has selected the “fight or flight” instinct to deal with environmental change, so rather like the metaphor of the frog in boiling water, we tend to react too little and too late to gradual change.
-
How business can act as a force for good
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
New year, new approaches – it’s the perfect time to rethink many things we take for granted. Shakespeare’s advice, “Brevity is the soul of wit”, is telling: humanity will prosper if we can keep it simple. Indeed, today we live under the influence of the KISS principle: “Keep It Simple, Stupid.”
-
How 5 pivots in 2 industries can trigger net-zero pathways in 2021
Monday 18th of January 2021
Important announcements for climate action were made in 2020. Major economies including China, Japan, Korea, the US (based on President-elect Biden’s election campaign) and the EU committed to net-zero economies by about mid-century (in the case of China, by 2060). Combined, they accounted for more than half of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2018.
-
Davos 2021: Meet the winners of the 27th Annual Crystal Award
Monday 18th of January 2021
As we look ahead to new possibilities for 2021 after a challenging year of disruption, the enduring contributions to society of exceptional artists is ever more meaningful. The cultural leaders receiving the 2021 Crystal Awards are important storytellers of our time, who offer insights into the human challenges that give context to the possibility for change.
-
Building trust: Here’s what you need to know about The Davos Agenda 2021
Monday 18th of January 2021
Over the past year, the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has devastated lives and livelihoods across the globe, laying bare structural inequities – and making clear the urgency of more fairly rebuilding the world’s social and economic systems in the wake of the crisis.
-
Rapid growth in China post-COVID makes it ripe for investment
Monday 18th of January 2021
In January 2020 as the world began to learn of COVID-19, many market observers predicted a challenging year for Asia. While there continue to be headwinds from the health and economic crisis, Asia, and China in particular, has demonstrated comparatively advantageous resilience.
-
Why philanthropists must support a free COVID vaccine
Monday 18th of January 2021
While new COVID-19 lockdown measures swept the world late last year, 2021 has begun with announcements of new contracts to pave a rocky road to vaccine access. This access will neither be the sole responsibility, nor within the exclusive control of individual governments. Who sets the terms for vaccine access is a complex picture of pharmaceutical companies, national governments, multilateral agencies, development banks and philanthropic foundations. Philanthropy – drawing on its core tenet to promote the welfare of others – must be a voice for dismantling the barriers to accessing the vaccine.
-
Manufacturing reimagined: from improved productivity to profitable growth
Monday 18th of January 2021
Global disruptions and instabilities, supply-chain breakdowns, and heightened customer demand for digital-first experiences are speeding the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) forward. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to drive significant uncertainty, manufacturers are revamping their growth strategies with a renewed appreciation for how operating models determine strategic outcomes.
-
Mounting e-waste is harming the planet. Here’s how we solve the problem
Monday 18th of January 2021
It’s hard to imagine navigating modern life without a mobile phone in hand. Computers, tablets and smartphones have transformed how we communicate, work, learn, share news and entertain ourselves. They became even more essential when the COVID-19 pandemic moved classes, meetings and social connections online.
-
COVID-19: UK supermarkets call for police to enforce mask wearing
Monday 18th of January 2021
British retailers called on the police to help enforce the wearing of masks to limit the spread of COVID-19, with two of the biggest supermarkets saying they would challenge people who were flouting the rules.
-
Has lockdown completely distorted your sense of time? This could be why
Monday 18th of January 2021
Does it feel like 2020 went on forever? Did lockdown drag, and can you even remember how you spent your time when you weren’t living under coronavirus restrictions? You are not alone. For many, 2020 has been the year in which the constancy of time was lost to the upheaval of coronavirus.
-
This desalination breakthrough could make clean water cheaper
Monday 18th of January 2021
Researchers have solved a complex problem with water desalination that had baffled scientists for decades, until now.
-
Barcelona’s new 10-year plan to make the city even greener
Monday 18th of January 2021
One of Barcelona’s largest parks, named after Spanish painter Joan Miro, is just a stone’s throw from the busy crossroads between Consell de Cent and Rocafort streets, but here you could be mistaken for thinking nature is a million miles away.
-
How slimy microbes could be the secret to keeping coral reefs healthy
Monday 18th of January 2021
Corals have evolved over millennia to live, and even thrive, in waters with few nutrients. In healthy reefs, the water is often exceptionally clear, mainly because corals have found ways to make optimal use of the few resources around them. Any change to these conditions can throw a coral’s health off balance.
-
Food got more expensive in 2020. This chart shows how
Monday 18th of January 2021
After the wholesale price of food first saw a slump during the coronavirus pandemic, the global FAO Food Price Index showed a steep increase since the fall. Most recently, food around the world was 7.5 percent pricier than the 2014-2016 average, on which the index baseline of 100 points is calculated. The December figure is the highest of any month in six years.
-
How Japan can build a sustainable future post-COVID-19
Monday 18th of January 2021
The pursuit of a “winners-take-all” strategy has been traditionally frowned upon in Japan. Rather, harmony has been an integral part of the sustainable prosperity of a society. Geographical isolation and a culture of rice farming are some explanations to this view, as the country’s isolated setting meant that the natural resources were limited and, therefore, had to be shared in order to survive. In today’s world, however, I wonder if sometimes this wonderful trait hinders drastic, necessary change.
-
4 big infrastructure trends to build a sustainable world
Monday 18th of January 2021
2021 will be a big year for global infrastructure development. Even before COVID-19 shifted government priorities, the world was already underinvesting in infrastructure by half a trillion dollars in 2020, according to the Global Infrastructure Hub. With vaccine distribution imminent, world leaders are turning their attention to how to revive pandemic-ravaged economies.
-
This Canadian start-up turns millions of chopsticks into sustainable furniture
Monday 18th of January 2021
Most people would look at an old pair of chopsticks and see nothing but trash. At a push, maybe something their kid could use in a school art project. Felix Böck saw desks, tables, chopping blocks, even dominos – and the basis of a thriving business that shows the circular economy in action.