The natural disasters, pandemic and the regional conflicts scarred the world’s population. But amidst those dark times have also emerged the stories of heroism and compassion. The tragedy and joys have brought together the people of the world with a resolute promise of building a better future for our children.
The events that have been the talking points and will continue to be the reference points include Hamas-Israel war, Turkey-Syria earthquake, Ukraine-Russia conflict, India surpassing China to become the most populous country, and its Chandrayaan mission, the rise of AI and the 2023 being the warmest year on record.
Rising geopolitical oppositions in an increasingly multipolar world, particularly in strategic regions has once again highlighted the need for a stronger UN as an international body, to promote all-inclusive global cooperation to achieve lasting political stability and welfare of the citizens of all countries.
The natural disasters of last year and before, once again bring to urgent attention the need for sustainability measures at a war footing. Climate change is here and its real. It effects the world’s vulnerable population the most. No doubt, the world faces a race against time to reduce emissions. The Paris Agreement is a covenant of hope as it aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change.
THE SIGNIFICANT SHIFTS
The world as we know has changed drastically in the last decade. The economic uncertainties, the regional instabilities, the rise of social media, emergence of new way of working and breakthroughs in healthcare are the centre points of the dawn of a new era.
Work-life Balance: The biggest game changer of the year has been the shift towards healthy balance between work and home. Gome are the days when working late hours was considered good or even rec- ommended. This shift is evident in the real estate sector as well, with remote and hybrid working becoming a norm, workspaces are chang- ing and real estate demand is going through an alteration. Indeed, some industries and sectors need work- force to be present at location, yet there is a realization than an equilibrium between the work and personal life helps increase productivity at work and enhances individual’s physical and mental health. Another advantage of hybrid work is the less burden on infrastructure and transortation, indirectly leading to lesser carbon emissions. Each country and culture are figuring different ways to adopt to the new way of working.
Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming every walk of our life. While its use is altering the world, it is also raising important questions for society and the gov- ernance. AI systems have the ability to learn and adapt as they make decisions and have already been deployed in sectors of finance, se- curity, health care, legal, transpor- tation, and infrastructure, where it is augmenting human capabilities in significant ways. However, AI is a double-edged sword; if the data used to train AI models contain biases, the resulting algorithms can exacerbate existing biases and discrimination. One of the most prominent risks associated with AI is privacy as has been seen in the case of social media. AI is here to stay and find increased adoption in a variety of sectors, the pros out- weigh the cons. As we continue to figure out even more applications of AI, the policy, regulatory, and ethical issues will also find their answers in good time.
Climate Resilience: The extreme climate events such as floods, droughts, and cyclones, variabilities in temperature and rainfall, and their compounding social economic and environment level have forced governments and international or- ganizations to chalk out a roadmap that would protect economies and people from the risks of climate change. The authorities are devel- oping climate-action and disaster management plans that can help climate-proof lives and livelihoods. Building resilience against the im- pact of climate change requires cities that can adapt, bounce back and thrive in the face of unfore- seen shocks. Embracing indigenous knowledge and empowering citizens are the sure shot ways for the world to beat climate change.
International Solidarity: The interdependent world requires a shared action to harness the col- lective strength of the people and resources of the world for a fair and just development of all. The ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia and long-standing struggle between Israel and Pal- estine are the sad reminders of the human cost of violence and the dire need for peaceful solutions. The role of international mediation cannot be emphasized enough. The conflicts can only be solved through diplomacy. Let’s not for- get the world’s interconnectedness poses common challenges and common solutions driven by equitable international order.
Health For All: The pandemic has once again underscored the importance of securing the health and wellbeing of people around the world. The rapid rate of globalisation has made the world smaller and no country can remain insulated from the diseases and the viruses spread in another part of the world. The sil- ver lining of the pandemic has been the awakening of the international agencies and the governments to take action in meeting the health needs of all people. The healthcare and pharma companies of the world working together during the pandemic has set the tone for the years to come in bringing medical services and medicines within easy reach of the most vulnerable and laying the foundations for improved health for generations to come.
THE WINNING STREAK
Eight of the world’s ten most populous nations (Bangladesh, Brazil, India, United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, Russia, Mexico), countries that are home to nearly half of the world’s people will hold elections in 2024. There is an opportunity for these governments to enact global policies that are people-centred and can harness the benefits of our interconnected world for the greater good, recognizing our common humanity.
LEARNINGS TO REFLECT UPON
Some of the most notable learnings for the world are saving the environment, maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations, supporting underprovid- ed communities and uplifting the poor and vulnerable. The past experiences have shown that what effects one, impacts the entire world. In the current interconnected world, investment in human development and human resilience has become paramount.
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