WEF Weekly Stories

Forum Stories (2025.4.18)

Forum Stories Your weekly curated analysis of the top global issues

Welcome to Forum Stories! In the spotlight this week: The start-ups harnessing the power of quantum technologies as we focus on World Quantum Day 2025. We’re also looking ahead to Earth Day and diving into our editor’s top picks for the week. This week’s newsletter is 850 words, a 3-minute read.

Feel free to forward the Forum Stories newsletter to a friend or colleague. Our editorial team hand-picks the most relevant stories for you every week. You can also read today’s edition in your browser.

1. Spotlight: Looking back on World Quantum Day 2025 World Quantum Day this week was a chance to reflect on the rapidly evolving role of quantum technologies. This year, we’re spotlighting 10 pioneering start-ups using quantum innovations to solve some of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges – these are the winners of the Quantum for Society Challenge, announced in Riyadh on Monday. From decarbonizing energy systems to optimizing complex supply chains, their solutions show the potential of quantum in the fight for a more sustainable future. 2025 is the UN International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.  But what’s the full potential of quantum computing and how do we build the foundations of a global quantum economy?  What is the ‘quantum advantage’? Quantum computers will soon be able to solve real-world problems that traditional computers cannot. However, harnessing the benefits of this will depend on sustained investment, cross-sector collaboration and broader public understanding of where the technology stands today.  Quantum adoption across sectors comes with complexity and uncertainty. Explore the opportunities and practical steps for businesses in Embracing the Quantum Economy: A Pathway for Business Leaders, which outlines how quantum could transform industries from healthcare to cybersecurity. Saudi Arabia is positioning itself within the emerging quantum revolution: Here’s how the country is investing in research, talent and partnerships to lay the groundwork for a thriving quantum economy. Quantum is part of a broader shift in the technological transformation, with artificial intelligence increasingly making waves across industries and society. Here’s the latest on AI and its impact: Listen: Beyond the hype, how industries are deploying AI at the heart of their operations. Watch: This start-up uses AI to increase access to healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. Explore: AI-generated art in the style of Studio Ghibli. Is this the end of copyright? Go deeper on this topic

2. Looking ahead to Earth Day 2025 “Our Power, Our Planet” is the theme of this year’s Earth Day, observed on 22 April. But this date doesn’t just mark Earth Day, it marks 55 years since an environmental “teach-in” launched in San Francisco, sparking a global movement. What began on college campuses is now a worldwide event, devoted to our planet and the actions needed to protect it, involving over 1 billion people. This year, the focus is on renewable energy and the need to significantly scale up clean electricity generation by 2030. Here’s what else you need to know about Earth Day 2025. Melting glaciers could move the North Pole 90 feet by 2100. Understanding the rapid melting of the Earth’s ice drives home the impact of a warming Earth and the importance for businesses to strengthen resilience.  Unprecedented disruption is upending progress for the climate. But by leaning on evidence, recognizing a fear of change and other key approaches, sustainability leaders can navigate current confusion and shifting landscapes. Learn the 5 key mindsets leaders need now. The ‘triple strength’ leaders must develop to drive a sustainable future. OMV CEO Alfred Stern discusses his company’s focus on sustainable energy and a net-zero future – and the key traits leaders will need to make these changes possible. More on nature, climate and energy:  Global renewable energy capacity grew by 15.1% in 2024. Despite large gains, this still falls short of the 16.6% growth rate needed to reach targets of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030. It is an exciting time for blue finance. Southeast Asia is tapping into innovative financing solutions in a way that could provide a scalable model to protect vital ecosystems around the world. Less than 2% of global philanthropic giving currently targets climate change mitigation. Explore five key opportunities that wealth managers could leverage to help Earth action become more dynamic. Go deeper on this topic

Editor’s picks from Forum Stories   Trade tensions cast a shadow over financial markets. Recent US tariffs have disrupted global trade, triggering significant volatility in financial markets. We asked three experts how this could shape the global economy in the months ahead. Here’s what they had to say. What could Europe’s response to Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs mean for global cooperation and resilience? The EU is rethinking its economic strategy to reflect the complex political realities shaping global trade.   Privacy is ‘the most valuable right of all’. CEO of secure messaging service, Signal, unpacks why more people are turning to privacy-first platforms than ever before. Microplastics, macro impact. Microplastics are in our air, food and water – recent studies tell us more about what that means for our health and ecosystems. What’s shaping the global economy right now? Hear from these chief economists as they explore three trends transforming our economies today.  Explore other Forum Stories

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