Insights

The Chief Risk Officers Community focuses on helping organizations navigate a complex global risks landscape, emphasizing the need for agility and proactive risk management. At their recent meeting, they highlighted the importance of embracing uncertainty to unlock opportunities and the necessity of innovative approaches to build resilience. With geoeconomic and geopolitical challenges reshaping the risk environment, effective leadership is crucial for fostering a culture of open dialogue and creativity in addressing emerging risks. Optimism remains as the potential for technologies like AI and partnerships can drive organizational resilience and value creation.
Financial services, Education
From a risky to a resilient future: Reflections from the Chief Risk Officers Community
COP30 in Belém highlighted the ongoing challenges of climate multilateralism, revealing a widening gap between the climate crisis and the response capacity of established processes. Despite the adoption of a joint text by 194 parties reaffirming key targets and equity principles, the outcome was viewed as weak and stagnant, with limited progress on critical issues like finance and carbon markets. While multilateralism remains fundamental, it is no longer seen as sufficient to drive meaningful change. Effective climate governance may now depend more on regional initiatives and minilateralism, as illustrated by the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, rather than solely on global agreements.
Latin America | Financial services, Health
COP30 - Should Climate Multilateralism Be Preserved Whatever it Takes?
China aims to assume a global leadership role in climate change, motivated by its ambitions in clean technology and trade. As the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, it has significantly boosted its renewable energy capacity, investing $290 billion in 2024 to position itself as a clean-tech superpower. This leadership allows China to access new markets for its overcapacity in green exports and strengthen ties with developing nations. However, China is hesitant to accept full leadership and historical responsibility for climate change, as its emission reduction efforts are lagging due to a struggling economy and financial challenges. This reluctance stems from concerns over economic impact and past accountability for emissions relative to more industrialized nations.
Three reasons why China wants global green leadership after Cop30 – and two reasons it doesn’t
Developing Asia's cities need $1.7 trillion annually through 2030 to address climate change impacts, but investment is hindered by fragmented governance and lack of reliable data. Experts highlight that investors seek predictable returns and long-term policy stability, which are lacking in many city-level sustainability efforts. Additionally, adaptation projects often yield uncertain financial benefits, leading to cautious private investment. Despite progress at COP30, substantial funding gaps persist, with Southeast Asian cities like Manila and Jakarta particularly affected, receiving only $2.5 billion of the $210 billion allocated for adaptation efforts.
Bangladesh, Nigeria | Financial services
Governance, data gaps and unpredictable returns limiting climate adaptation investment in Asia's cities: experts
Brazil is advocating for a fourfold increase in the global use of sustainable fuels, such as biofuels, by 2035 during the UN COP30 climate summit. While Brazil cites economic and environmental benefits, critics express concerns about the potential impacts on food security and ecological health, warning that increased biofuel production could exacerbate land use issues. Environmental advocates argue that current biofuel policies could worsen carbon emissions and drive deforestation, while experts emphasize the need for stringent safeguards. Despite challenges, countries like India and Brazil see biofuels as a pathway for economic growth and climate action.
Brazil
COP30: Brazil seeks biofuel boom, but critics query climate impact
AI is reshaping strategic foresight, enabling experts to explore plausible futures and devise strategies for organizations and governments. A World Economic Forum paper, in collaboration with the OECD, highlights insights from 167 foresight experts across 55 countries. Key benefits of AI include time-saving and automation of repetitive tasks. However, concerns arise regarding the quality and trustworthiness of AI-generated content, particularly its tendency for inaccuracies and limitations in forward-looking reasoning. The paper suggests ways to leverage AI while minimizing its drawbacks.
Education
AI in Strategic Foresight: Reshaping Anticipatory Governance
Climate change significantly impacts human wellbeing, influencing mental and physical health, food security, and safety. A study reveals that major climate policy models largely overlook these wellbeing factors, despite extensive research documenting climate-related harms. Crucial elements like heat-related deaths, loss of working hours, and food insecurity are excluded from current models, leading to undervalued benefits of climate action. The absence of comprehensive wellbeing metrics, particularly concerning vulnerable groups, highlights the need for improved climate models to inform better policy decisions that protect lives and livelihoods.
Nigeria | Financial services, Health
Climate action saves lives. So why do climate models ignore wellbeing?
Cop30, held in Belém at the Amazon's mouth, ended with disappointing outcomes in emissions reduction negotiations and revealed a disconnection between indigenous voices and industry delegates. Although heralded as an "implementation Cop," indigenous participation was limited, and the resulting Belém package lacked crucial references to fossil fuels. The narrative shifted focus to personal experiences of climate impacts, highlighting the power of storytelling in engaging the public amidst climate fatigue. Psychologists emphasize that personal stories create meaningful connections, countering the emotional exhaustion stemming from bleak climate news.
Nigeria
Cop30 saw important developments amid huge disappointment
Artificial intelligence (AI) agents are moving from prototypes to actual deployment, but many organizations struggle with responsible evaluation and governance. As 82% of executives aim to adopt AI agents within the next three years, risks related to autonomy, safety, and trust are increasing. "AI Agents in Action: Foundations for Evaluation and Governance," by the World Economic Forum and Capgemini, provides a structured framework to address these challenges. It details AI agents’ technical architecture, offers a functional classification, and proposes a governance approach that emphasizes transparency and continuous monitoring to enhance human-AI collaboration and prepare for complex systems.
AI Agents in Action: Foundations for Evaluation and Governance
Asia is pivotal in the global net-zero transition, contributing over half of recent global growth and leading in CO2 emissions. For Asian firms, value chain emissions account for 65-95% of their carbon footprint, presenting both challenges and opportunities for low-carbon growth. The collaboration between the World Economic Forum and State Grid Corporation of China emphasizes the business case for Scope 3 actions. By addressing risks, improving efficiency, and unlocking low-carbon revenues, companies can generate up to $3 trillion in value. The report includes case studies and offers a blueprint for empowering supply chains and fostering a culture of sustainable growth.
Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, China, United Arab Emirates
Accelerating Value Chain Decarbonization for Corporate Growth: Perspectives from Asia
Italy has undertaken a comprehensive review of its semiconductor industry in response to the 2020-2023 chips crisis, recognizing semiconductors as strategic goods rather than mere commodities. Under the Draghi and Meloni governments, Italy has focused on enhancing its production ecosystem through specific factory investments and facilitating foreign investments. Identified supply chain vulnerabilities have prompted initiatives to align with European efforts, especially in sectors like automotive and aerospace. While awareness of the industry's challenges is growing, progress remains slow due to risk aversion. Joint ventures with foreign foundries are also being emphasized to strengthen Italy's position in the global semiconductor landscape.
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, China, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam | Financial services, Education, ICT
Three Questions to Carlo Reita: Semiconductor Policy, the Italian Way
Human rights violations in global supply chains remain prevalent despite reform efforts, as multinationals often overlook conditions beyond their first-tier suppliers. Effective solutions require locally grounded governance that includes civil society organizations in decision-making processes, rather than relying solely on partnerships with NGOs. A revised European Union directive limiting accountability to larger companies weakens efforts to address these issues comprehensively. Research indicates that empowering local groups fosters more adaptive governance, enhances compliance, uncovers hidden abuses, and builds trust, ultimately leading to improved working conditions and accountability in supply chains.
Ghana, Senegal | Financial services, Health
Why global supply chains need adaptive, local governance to improve human rights
The FhGenie platform, developed by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and launched in 2023, enhances technological sovereignty by providing a secure AI service tailored for employee use. With over 12,000 users generating more than a million monthly prompts, FhGenie integrates organization-specific data for improved context sensitivity while ensuring compliance with strict data protection regulations within the European Economic Area. Continuous advancements include new language models, enhanced APIs for research projects, and internal collaborative initiatives. These developments aim to further optimize efficiency, security, and integration into existing workflows while supporting innovative applications across various sectors.
In-House AI Platform FhGenie Strengthens Fraunhofer’s Technological Sovereignty
Malaysia's energy-intensive industries are increasingly investing in digital technologies and renewable energy for a low-carbon future, with over 70% of organizations directing over 10% of their capital expenditure toward these initiatives. The Asia Pacific Energy Transition Readiness Index 2025 shows that 42% prioritize digitalization, while 71% recognize AI and automation as critical for the energy transition. Additionally, 78% expect to boost renewable energy consumption by over 20% in five years, with solar being the most adopted source. However, rapid growth in AI-driven data centers is stressing local electricity and water resources, particularly in Johor.
Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Qatar, Singapore, United Arab Emirates | Financial services, ICT, Education
Malaysian industries turn to AI and renewables to drive energy transition: survey
Reuse systems, such as refill stations and reusable packaging, face significant investment challenges in the circular economy. Only 4% of circular economy investment for plastics from 2018 to 2023 went to reuse models, while 82% was directed towards recycling. Waste expert Matt Stanelos emphasized that reuse is a behavior rather than an investment opportunity, although he noted variations in the viability of reuse systems based on industry. Meanwhile, Jonathan Tostevin argued for treating reuse as infrastructure to attract investment. Experts agree that while reuse models may require less capital than recycling, they still need investment for durable products and support systems to succeed.
'Reuse does not require capital': Debate swirls over circular economy investor preference for recycling
Global cities like San Francisco and Durban are enhancing urban biodiversity amidst rising populations. San Francisco aims for 30% of its green spaces to be biodiverse by 2030. The World Economic Forum supports cities in setting nature-focused goals through its Nature-Positive Cities initiative. Barranquilla, Colombia combines urban development with environmental stewardship, promoting nature-based solutions, including a $380 million investment for green infrastructure and restored ecosystems. Similarly, Belém, Brazil focuses on revitalizing its waterways to improve living conditions and recover water quality as part of a comprehensive urban planning approach.
Bangladesh
These global cities are working to protect nature and biodiversity
Wikimedia Foundation urges AI developers to use its paid Wikimedia Enterprise API instead of scraping Wikipedia. The paid API allows for responsible, large-scale content usage while supporting Wikipedia's nonprofit mission and preventing server strain. Although no legal threats were made, Wikimedia highlighted issues with AI bots scraping its site, which led to a decline in human traffic. The foundation emphasizes the importance of proper attribution to human contributors in AI-generated content.
Wikipedia urges AI companies to use its paid API, and stop scraping
Indigenous data governance offers a transformative approach to sustainable mineral development in Africa, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS) in strengthening security and justice. The failure to acknowledge the data gap regarding Indigenous communities' value systems hampers effective governance in mineral economies, particularly in conflict-prone areas like the Congo Basin. IDS empowers communities to control data collection and usage, fostering participatory decision-making and accountability. By integrating participatory mapping and digital traceability systems, communities can challenge extractive practices, promote transparency, and enhance local governance, ultimately leading to more equitable and sustainable outcomes in resource management. Supporting IDS is essential for achieving peace, security, and sustainable development across Africa.
Africa
Data sovereignty for security in mineral economies
The UK has identified 34 critical minerals essential for national security and the economy in its new Critical Minerals Strategy. The demand for these minerals, crucial for renewable energy and technology, presents significant challenges due to long extraction times and concentrated supplies, particularly in geopolitically sensitive regions. New technologies, such as geothermal extraction and synthetic biology, offer potential solutions for recovering these materials sustainably. Future mining practices must prioritize environmental protection and local community benefits to avoid the "resource curse" and ensure a responsible supply chain.
Denmark, Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria | Financial services, Health
The UK must secure supplies of 34 critical minerals says new report – here’s how
The UK government's focus on economic growth aims to improve living standards and alleviate pressure on public services, despite a projected growth of only 1.5%. The budget is primarily tax-raising, with a stealth approach that affects middle-earners through frozen thresholds rather than direct rate increases. While this may support growth by keeping costs on employers lower, overall growth remains weak due to insufficient investment in skills and infrastructure and restrictive immigration policies. Additionally, the government faces challenges from high debt, necessitating tax increases to stabilize finances and avoid destabilizing fiscal forecasts.
Financial services
What will the budget mean for economic growth? Experts give their view

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