WEF 2020: Misunderstood yet necessary perspectives
When it comes to the environment and global warming, those who say “enough” are not being heard
The theme for the fiftieth anniversary of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting held in Davos was Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World. This is not a coincidence: 50 years ago, the Forum’s first summit revolved around the role of socially responsible capitalism towards workers, families, society and the environment, or a capitalist market with social responsibility. This shows that the search for a vision of the future is still the core value of the WEF.
In 1971, when a group of European businessmen met in Davos to set the agenda for the year to come, the Forum found its way into the European Commission. Globalization was the theme of the summit, back when it was barely in sight and in the face of the immediate and unexpected shock of the OPEC and the subsequent price outburst. Due to this situation, Europe was on the verge of critical issues, which it was able to overcome after several years of both crisis and creativity.
The cooperation and common view between countries, companies and governments, as well as the authority of scholars, gave the WEF a unique status. Davos has become a locus of critical issues for our global society. This year, more than 3,000 participants, including government leaders such as President Trump and Chancellor Angela Merkel, gathered to discuss the emerging issues that will shape the new decade.
The 2020 Agenda highlights current and future urgent issues that call for a mobilized world acting in a committed and orderly fashion against climate change. The world has split into divergent views. This can be appreciated in places like Europe, with Brexit, the US and its widely criticized isolation policy, and China with its disputes towards other countries.
Klaus Schwab and his wife, Hilde, have worked towards mobilizing the world on the most pressing and urgent issues, while keeping a long-term vision. This year, the proposed initiatives are against both climate and social crises, which are included in the Davos Manifesto 2020: “Companies’ ethical practices in their fiscal obligations, zero tolerance for corruption, the pursuit of human rights in all global production chains, and the search for an even playing field in the marketplace”.
A responsible capitalism far beyond economic efficiency and profit is urged, since there are cases such as Trump's where, just as he implied on the 21st of January referring to his approach towards two trade agreements (EU-China and T-MEC), the United States profits at the expense of its partners, whom he views as inferiors and who are vulnerable to threats from guarded American companies. Contrary to this approach, on the 22nd of the same month the President of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, reiterated that after a difficult period of elections, his country remains committed to the notion of globalization and multilateralism.
On the other hand, Chancellor Merkel emphasized that, in spite of everything that has been happening in Europe (Brexit, for example), the EU must continue to offer the world a better quality of life compared to the last 50 years, where many issues have managed to unite a vision of global coexistence. This could strengthen Europe's leadership as a beacon for the Union of Nations, as opposed to other visions of confrontation and alienation.
Surprisingly, the plea of Swedish student, Greta Thunberg, has echoed strongly since the UN meeting held in October 2019. However, this plea has also been ignored (Mexico does not have a set agenda), minimized (China or Brazil have failed to adopt new initiatives), or even attacked by governments, such as the United States. In this regard, Thunberg has pointed out that even though they hear her, they don't actually listen to her. However, other governments and leaders have embraced his plea and shown their commitment through specific initiatives based on the so-called "three Rs" (reduce, reuse and recycle) and the “20-20-20 goals”: by 2020, it is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% or more compared to the levels recorded in 1990, to increase energy consumption based on non-conventional renewable sources by 20%, and to increase energy efficiency by 20%.
Mexico sent a small delegation to the summit, which did not deliver a statement on peace, human rights, the environmental goals set on the Paris Agreement or the 20-20-20 agenda. With the sole presence of Graciela Márquez, Secretary of Economy, it seems that the current administration has no interest in positioning itself as a regional leader, either in terms of the environment or law, so as to attract private investment initiatives in line with the Davos 2020 agenda (although many governments did attend to attract investment). The government seems to be sending a message that neither the global context nor the Forum's agenda is relevant, just as Trump did last year when he showed indifference and even disdain and hostility towards the international cooperation agenda and the joint efforts on the issues that concern us.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the environment and global warming, those who say “enough” are not being heard.
