State of our world
Chapter 2 - Society
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Welcome to the State of our world page
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The world is highly complex and, given the diffusion of power, is getting more so. The trends and events impacting individuals or entities depend highly on location. A mitigating or managing action for one situation could differ significantly from another. There is, unfortunately, no one-size-fits-all response, and given the constant dynamics, you can’t ever consider the job done.
Global dynamics are either ‘trends’ or ‘noise’. The first are long-term directional developments for which you must respond strategically; the latter are shorter-term oscillations requiring a tactical response.
It is vital to distinguish strategy and tactics (for more info see 'Corporte futuring'). For example, you might feel that a market is improving, whereas you’re observing a short-term positive oscillation on a longer-term downward trend.
In the 'do you want to know more' section, we gathered some trusted data sources for you.
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| Peter A. Corning - Evolution and the Fate of Humankind - Published online by Cambridge University Press |
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| Currently, there is the possibility we are headed toward a dark future, with ever more terrorist attacks, divisive guerrilla wars, and even, possibly, World War Three (including the likely use of nuclear, chemical, and cyber weapons) – not to mention a drastic, irreversible climate change – unless we can soon make a radical course change.
The solution to this growing global challenge is not to rely on some charismatic, self-serving, authoritarian leader. The world tried doing this back in the 1930s, and it did not end well (World War Two). As the ancient Greek political theorist Plato put it more than 2,000 years ago, the problem with this alternative is how do you “control the controllers”? – those self-serving authoritarians. A better alternative is more effective global governance under the rule of law, with a new social contract that will provide for the basic needs of everyone (a “basic needs guarantee”), along with rewards for merit, and giving back in proportion to what we receive. I call it the “Fair Society” model. |
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Do you want to know more?
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Your world in data
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| The Wicked 7 Project |
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| The Wicked 7 Project seeks to understand the connections between the world’s most urgent problems and why we can’t seem to solve them. |
| https://www.wicked7.org/ |
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| Our world in data |
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| What do we need to know to make the world a better place? To make progress against the pressing problems the world faces, we need to be informed by the best research and data. Our World in Data makes this knowledge accessible and understandable, to empower those working to build a better world. |
| https://ourworldindata.org/ |
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| World Inequality Database |
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| The World Inequality Database (WID) aims to provide open and convenient access to the most extensive available database on the historical evolution of the world distribution of income and wealth, both within countries and between countries. |
| https://wid.world/ |
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| Exiobase |
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| EXIOBASE is a global, detailed Multi-Regional Environmentally Extended Supply-Use Table (MR-SUT) and Input-Output Table (MR-IOT). It was developed by harmonizing and detailing supply-use tables for a large number of countries, estimating emissions and resource extractions by industry. Subsequently the country supply-use tables were linked via trade creating an MR-SUT and producing MR-IOTs from this. The MR-IOT that can be used for the analysis of the environmental impacts associated with the final consumption of product groups. |
| https://www.exiobase.eu/index.php |
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| The International Institute for Strategic Studies |
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| The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a world-leading authority on global security, political risk and military conflict. |
| https://www.iiss.org/ |
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| Eurostat |
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| Eurostat produces European statistics in partnership with National Statistical Institutes and other national authorities in the EU Member States. This partnership is known as the European Statistical System (ESS). It also includes the statistical authorities of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland. |
| https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat |
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| StatBel |
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| Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, collects, produces and disseminates reliable and relevant figures on the Belgian economy, society and territory. The collection is based on administrative data sources and surveys, the production is carried out in a scientific manner and with respect to quality, and statistics are disseminated on time and in a client-friendly manner. |
| https://statbel.fgov.be/en |
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| Statistiek Vlaanderen |
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| Deze openbare statistieken over Vlaanderen lopen inhoudelijk breed uiteen: van de mensen die er wonen en werken over economie en omgeving tot de plaats van Vlaanderen in de wereld. |
| https://www.vlaanderen.be/statistiek-vlaanderen |
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| Centraal bureau voor de Statistiek |
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| Dossier Broeikasgassen |
| https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/dossier/dossier-broeikasgassen |
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| Planetary boundaries |
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| The planetary boundaries concept presents a set of nine planetary boundaries within which humanity can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come.The evolution of the planetary boundaries framework. Licenced under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 (Credit: Azote for Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University. Based on Richardson et al. 2023, Steffen et al. 2015, and Rockström et al. |
| https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries/the-nine-planetary-boundaries.html |
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| European Environment Agency |
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| Can we live within the limits of the planet? We are using resources faster than the planet can replenish them, creating pollution, destroying nature, driving climate change and impacting people’s health and well-being. A transition to a sustainable future will require a fundamental shift in production and consumption systems. |
| https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/topics/at-a-glance/sustainability |
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| Net Zero Tracker |
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| How are nations doing on net zero targets compared with companies? How many regions and cities have published a plan to get to net zero? How many companies rule out the use of offsets or cover their Scope 3 emissions? |
| https://zerotracker.net/ |
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Circular economy
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| Ellen MacArthur Foundation |
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| We’re a charity committed to creating a circular economy, which is designed to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. It’s an economic system that delivers better outcomes for people, and the environment. |
| https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ |
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