In a world facing significant geopolitical, economic and environmental shifts, the World Economic Forum gathered over 1,400 business leaders, policy-makers, leaders from international and civil society organizations, innovators and social entrepreneurs for its Sustainable Development Impact Meetings that is being held from 23-27 September in New York has served as a crucial platform for public-private collaboration reaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Forum has mobilized urgent public-private collaboration. Currently, only 17% of SDG targets are on track for 2030, with nearly half making minimal or moderate progress, and over one-third stalled or in some cases regressing, stated in a WEF press note.
“We stand on the brink of the Intelligent Age, an era defined by blending artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technologies into everyday life,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman, World Economic Forum. “This sweeping transformation presents a profound paradox: the same technologies that hold extraordinary promise for unprecedented growth, innovation and human progress also risk deepening divides and exacerbating inequalities.”
Participants engaged in high-level discussions on themes related to the SDGs, including frontier technologies and development; human capital and growth; climate action, nature protection and the energy transition.
The meetings highlighted the emergence of the Intelligent Age, driven by technological advancements and the role of technology in driving SDG progress, the importance of sustainable growth and the need for collaborative action.
Other reports were also launched. Human capital was a core theme for the week.
“There is an intersection between trade and sustainability, and we need to better use trade to underpin decarbonization and support the energy transition,” said Børge Brende, President, World Economic Forum.
