Six Key Megatrends That Will Shape How We Live/Part 2

The world is changing, and so are the opportunities and challenges that everyone must now face. Increasing life expectancy, mass-scale technological advances and shifting demographics have profound implications for how we will live.

Bloomberg

4) How does technology lead to income inequality?  

Many of the drivers of transformation affecting global industries are expected to have a significant impact on jobs. New roles and requirements are being created on a regular basis by governments and companies alike.   

In many industries, the most in-demand occupations or specialties did not exist 10 or even five years ago, and the pace of change is set to accelerate. In such a rapidly evolving employment landscape, the ability to anticipate and prepare for future skills requirements will be increasingly critical for businesses, governments and individuals in order to fully seize the opportunities—and to mitigate undesirable outcomes.

The reskilling and upskilling of today’s workers will be critical. But it need not become a race between humans and machines, but rather an opportunity for work to truly enable people to recognize their full potential.

5) Urbanization

Growing populations also mean growing waste, and the management of our domestic waste must become a major priority. Efficiently managed recycling can dramatically decrease the volume of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. Rather than being disposed of, most waste materials can be turned into something more useful, and bring environmental and economic benefits.

Policy makers will have to introduce new measures and systems governance without wrecking structures developed over the years. Getting cities right is more than a local and national question—it’s one that will increasingly concern us all in the years ahead

6) Impact investing and medical advances 

There has been a dramatic increase in average life expectancy throughout the 20th century, and this trend has continued into the 21st century. The majority of babies born in 1900 did not live past the age of 50, whereas babies born today are expected to live well into their 90s.

Such previously unthinkable longevity is a sure sign of progress as lifestyles improve, but it is having a significant impact on societies around the world. One of the most notable areas currently being transformed is healthcare.

A shakeup of the world’s healthcare systems is being helped by funding from social-impact investors. One area that has received significant investment in the last year has been oncology, where early-stage research continues to uncover exciting new avenues of investigation.