Trends Identified

Synthetic biology

Synthetic biology is a new field of research in biotechnology that draws on engineering principles to manipulate DNA in organisms. It allows for the design and construction of new biological parts and the re-design of natural biological systems for useful purposes. It is expected to have a wide range of applications in health, agriculture, industry and energy, but it also raises major legal and ethical issues.

2016

OECD Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2016

OECD

Blockchain

Blockchain is a database that allows the transfer of value within computer networks. This technology is expected to disrupt several markets by ensuring trustworthy transactions without the necessity of a third party. The proliferation of this technology is, however, threatened by technical issues that remain to be resolved.

2016

OECD Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2016

OECD

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) seeks to endow machines with reasoning capabilities that may one day surpass those of human beings. While their full impact remains difficult to appraise, intelligent systems are likely to bring considerable productivity gains and lead to irreversible changes in our societies.

2016

OECD Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2016

OECD

Demographics

Over the next century, changes in the world’s demography – the characteristics and composition of the global population – are likely to be dramatic. This is not just about gross numbers; it is also about the age, lifespan, distribution and activities of people. The world’s population has climbed from 1.6 billion in 1900 to around 7 billion today, and is projected to exceed 8 billion by 2025 and perhaps 9 billion by 2050. Over 60 percent of the global population is likely to live in Africa and Asia by 2050.19 Approximately 70 percent of the growth is likely to occur in 24 of the world’s poorest countries.

2013

Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations

Oxford Martin School

Ageing nations

The world’s population is getting older, with the population over 60 growing fastest.

2013

Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations

Oxford Martin School

Mobility

As a share of the world’s population, migration today is less prevalent than it has been in the past, such as during the age of mass migration in the 19th century. Urbanisation is also occurring rapidly within our populations.28 In 1950, only three of every ten people lived in cities. In 2008, the number of people in cities was greater than that in rural areas for the first time.

2013

Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations

Oxford Martin School

Rise of the middle class

Mobility is not just about geography; there is also an integral socioeconomic dimension. Over the next 40 years, billions more people are expected to join the global middle class.

2013

Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations

Oxford Martin School

Empowerment through education

Access to primary education in particular is regarded as critical to socioeconomic mobility, and for this reason it has been an objective of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Substantial inroads have been made this past decade in reducing the number of out-of-school children

2013

Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations

Oxford Martin School

Uneven and unequal

For the past three decades, there has been a steady decline in poverty rates in the developing world. This progress is anticipated to continue, not least in countries such as China and India. Yet the contrast between rich and poor remains stark.

2013

Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations

Oxford Martin School

Generational and gender divides

While there has been solid progress on reducing extreme poverty, social exclusion persists. Exclusion hits the old, the young and women hardest, especially in developing countries. Gender inequality remains a key barrier to economic growth and poverty reduction. Women and girls account for six out of ten of the world’s poorest and two-thirds of the world’s illiterate people. According to the UNDP, women perform 66 percent of the world’s work, but earn just 10 percent of the income and own only 1 percent of the property.

2013

Now for the long term - The Report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations

Oxford Martin School