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21 Jan, 2013

FREE Download: World Economic Forum Report on Future of Globalization

World Economic Forum Media Release

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21 January 2013 – The Outlook on the Global Agenda 2013 report outlines the key problems of the future and provides insights into how they might be tackled today, as leaders prepare to convene in Davos-Klosters for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

The challenges of globalization, economic growth, geopolitics, hyperconnectivity, the post-2015 development agenda and leadership values are discussed in the report, which draws on the expertise of the World Economic Forum’s Network of Global Agenda Councils, a unique interdisciplinary brain trust.

“Leadership emerges as the biggest challenge of all for 2013 and beyond, which is perhaps unsurprising when you consider that almost all of today’s leaders grew up in a totally different world to the one we now share,” said Martina Gmür, Head of the Network of Global Agenda Councils at the World Economic Forum.

The Outlook report incorporates the outcome of the annual Survey on the Global Agenda, which polls the Network’s Members on major trends and issues, along with new data gathered at last November’s Summit on the Global Agenda in Dubai and in working sessions and interviews.

“We need proper global governance that has the necessary tools, power and energy to create a more level playing field at the international level,” said Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World Trade Organization and a Member of the Global Agenda Council on Institutional Governance Systems.

This year, the report includes edited transcripts of the following discussions, available for quotation:

  • Pascal Lamy (Director-General, World Trade Organization, Geneva) and Kevin Rudd (Member of Parliament, Australia) on the future of globalization.
  • A. Michael Spence (Nobel Laureate, William R. Berkley Professor in Economics and Business, NYU Stern School of Business, USA) and Fu Jun (Executive Dean and Professor, School of Government, Peking University, People’s Republic of China) on the quest for economic growth.
  • Javier Solana (President, Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics, ESADE, Spain; Distinguished Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution) and Ian Bremmer (President, Eurasia Group, USA) on geopolitical uncertainties.
  • Robert Madelin [Director-General, Communication Networks, Content & Technology (DG CNECT), Belgium] and Marc Davis (Partner Architect, Microsoft Online Services Division, Microsoft Corporation, USA) on thriving in a hyperconnected world.
  • John McArthur (Senior Fellow, United Nations Foundation, New York) and Wu Changhua (Director, Greater China, Climate Group, People’s Republic of China) on the post-15 development agenda.
  • Chan YuenYing (Director and Professor, Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Hong Kong) and Michael J Elliott (President and Chief Executive Officer, ONE, USA) on restoring values.

The Network of Global Agenda Councils convenes the most relevant and knowledgeable peer-level thought leaders from academia, government, business and civil society to challenge conventional thinking and tackle global challenges. The findings of its outlook report helped to set the tone for the Annual Meeting 2013, which will take place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from 23-27 January under the theme of Resilient Dynamism.

Click here to download the full report free.