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Global Future Councils (GFC)

Project of:

World Economic Forum (WEF)

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The Global Future Councils (GFC) are a network of nearly 30 councils made from nearly 600 individuals with a political, business, governmental, academic and civil background from over 80 countries. 1 2 The GFC is part of the World Economic Forum (WEF), and is an invitation-only group while members join for two-year terms. The organization claims it operates as a think tank. 3

Background

Global Future Councils (GFC) are a network of 30 councils made from nearly 600 individuals with a political, business, governmental, academic, and civil background from over 80 countries. 1 The GFC is part of the World Economic Forum (WEF), while the network is an invitation-only group while members join for two-year terms. The organization claims to work as a think tank. 3

According to the WEF, the Global Future Councils are “the world’s foremost multistakeholder and interdisciplinary knowledge network dedicated to promoting innovative thinking to shape a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future.” 4

The Global Future Councils claims to have three themes: “innovation for inclusive growth; climate action, nature protection, and energy transition; and building trust for global collaboration.” 1

Council Organization

The Global Future Councils (GFC) network claims to be made of 30 councils containing roughly 600 individuals with a background a political, business, governmental, academic, and civil background from over 80 countries. 2

Topics discussed by the Councils include Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Mobility, Care Economy, Cities, Clean Air, Complex Risk, Cybersecurity, Data Equity, Economics of Equitable Transition, Energy Transition, Food and Water Security, Geopolitics, Good Governance, Growth, Job Creation, Metaverse, Nature and Security, Net Zero Living, Philanthropy for Climate and Nature, Quantum Economy, Resilient Financial Systems, Responsible Investing, Responsible Resource Use, Space, Sustainable Tourism, Synthetic Biology, Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance, Technology Policy, and Trade and Investment. 5

Additional topics include the Global Future Council on Healthy Ageing and Longevity, which researches health outcomes for older adults; 6 the he Global Future Council on Human Rights that promotes ESG (environment, social, and corporate governance) policies and “stakeholder capitalism” ; 7  the Global Future Council on Complex Risks researches topics such as AI acceleration and climate change;  8 and the Global Future Council on Trade and Investment claims to research how to “reimagine trade governance and redefine the role of trade and investment in creating sustainable, resilient and equitable companies, economies and societies.” 9

Annual Conference

In October 2024, the Global Future Councils (GFC) held a gathering of over 500 “thought leaders” from more than 80 countries at the World Economic Forum’s annual GFC meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Topics discussed included climate action, economic growth, and emerging technologies. 1

The opening press conference for the 2024 annual meeting featured Mirek Dusek, managing director of the WEF; Omar Sultan Al Olama, the Minister of State for AI, digital economy, and remote work applications for the United Arab Emirates; and Lauren Woodman, co-chair of the Global Future Council on Data Equity and AI Governance. 1 Dusek claimed that the annual GFC meeting “…serves as a unique platform for visionary thought leaders to converge, innovate, and create sustainable, collaborative solutions to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.”  1

Publications

The GFC has previously published reports and papers on policy topics including “data equity,” energy transition, geopolitics, job creation, and “responsible investing.” 10

In 2022, the Global Future Council on Cities of Tomorrow published several reports on post-Covid recovery following the pandemic. These included “Rethinking City Revenue and Finance,” “Using Digital Technology for a Green and Just Recovery in Cities,” “Accelerating Urban Inclusion for a Just Recovery,” and “Delivering Climate Resilient Cities Using a Systems Approach.” 11

In 2024, the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Responsible Investing released a report on Responsible Investment: Definitions and Taxonomies that defines responsible investing as the “incorporation of environmental and social factors to achieve one or more of the following objectives: 1.) financial returns; 2.) societal impact; and 3.) values alignment.” 12

References

  1. Verma, Anupam. “Global Experts Convene in Dubai for Crisis Action.” Economy Middle East Summitt. October 15, 2024. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://economymiddleeast.com/news/global-experts-gather-at-key-world-economic-forum-meeting-in-dubai/
  2. “Network of Global Councils.” Global Future Council. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-future-council/home
  3.  “Global Future Councils.” World Economic Forum. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/communities/global-future-councils/
  4. Press Release. “Whitefoot named to World Economic Forum Global Future Councils.” Carnegie Mellon University. November 23, 2020. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://www.cmu.edu/epp/news/2020/whitefoot-named-to-world-economic-forum-global-future-councils.html
  5. “Our Councils.” Global Future Council. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-future-council/councils
  6. “World Economic Forum – Global Future Council on Healthy Ageing and Longevity.” Decade of Healthy Ageing. June 9, 2021. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://www.decadeofhealthyageing.org/find-knowledge/connect/organisations-networks/world-economic-forum—global-future-council-on-healthy-ageing-and-longevity
  7. “The World Economic Forum’s 2021 Global Future Council on Human Rights of will focus on corporate actions on living wages & protections for human rights defenders.” Business and Human Rights. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/the-world-economic-forums-2021-global-future-council-on-human-rights-of-will-focus-on-corporate-actions-on-living-wages-protections-for-human-rights-defenders/
  8. “Global Future Council on the Future of Complex Risks.” World Economic Forum. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/communities/gfc-on-complex-risks/
  9. “Global Future Council on Trade and Investment. World Economic Forum. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://es.weforum.org/communities/gfc-on-trade-and-investment/
  10. “Our Publications.” Global Future Council. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-future-council/publications
  11. Pereira, Brian. “World Economic Forum Research Provides Comprehensive Blueprint for Future-Ready Cities.” Digital Creed. September 7, 2022. Accessed October 17, 2024. https://www.digitalcreed.in/global-future-council-on-cities/
  12. Edmans, Alex. “Here’s how we can be more precise about responsible investing.” World Economic Forum. April 4, 2024. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/04/responsible-investing-definition-taxonomy/
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