The challenges we face are considerable: from rethinking our relationship with the environment, and the wide-reaching implications this has, to tackling the persistent inequalities and injustices that characterise our relationships with each other. The WFC has identified 24 key issues that it will seek to address. With each campaign the WFC will highlight the connections between these areas, and aim to integrate them into its policy recommendations.The global challenges can be roughly grouped into three categories:
Global Challenges
Environment
The key global challenges grouped together in this category concern our relationship with the planet that supports us. With limited natural resources, an increasingly urbanised and ever-growing population, and the looming threat of irreversible climate change, the need to reconsider the way we interact with our environment has never been more pressing. Paramount to this is the acknowledgement that we are a part of the global ecosystem and not its rulers.
Social Issues
The key global challenges grouped together in this category are concerned with ensuring that people across the world can lead healthy and fulfilled lives. This involves embracing the diversity of human traits and capabilities, and acknowledging that we are all equal and yet distinct.
Economics and Politics
The key global challenges grouped together in this category are concerned with the organisation of human societies and the relationships between them. This involves fair and peaceful exchange, and an equitable distribution of costs and benefits in the creation of global welfare.
Sustainable and Liveable Cities
At present cities, on two per cent of the earth's surface, use 75 per cent of its resources. In the 'age of the city' we need new parameters for urban planning. The sustainable, resource efficient city is one of the great challenges of the 21st century. Much also needs to be done to deal with the inhospitality of modern cities. Concrete measures must be taken to reduce the need for travel, revive public transport and to reduce the dependence on the private motorcar.
What policy measures are needed to improve the resource productivity of our cities? How can we create cities that have a 'circular metabolism', that function well on a frugal use of resources, and whose wastes do not overload nature? How can we best create attractive public spaces, buildings and markets? How can we assure a greater presence of nature in the urban fabric? How can cities more effectively learn from one another about sustainability and liveability?