요약

1.Demographics; Higher life expectancy and falling birth rates are increasing the proportion of elderly people across the world, challenging the solvency of social welfare systems, including pensions and healthcare. Some regions are also facing the challenge of integrating large youth populations into saturated labor markets.

2.Rise of the individual

Advances in global education, health and technology have helped empower individuals like never before, leading to increased demands for transparency and participation in government and public decisionmaking. These changes will continue, and are ushering in a new era in human history in which, by 2022, more people will be middle class than poor.

3. Enabling technology Information and communications technology (ICT) has transformed society over the last 30 years. A new wave of technological advances is now creating novel opportunities, while testing governments’ ability to harness their benefits and provide prudent oversight.

4.Economic interconnectedness The interconnected global economy will see a continued increase in the levels of international trade and capital flows, but unless international conventions can be strengthened, progress and optimum economic benefits may not be realized.