DAVOS, Switzerland >> The World Economic Forum returns to the Swiss alpine town of Davos for its first winter meeting since 2020, where leaders seek to bridge political divisions in a polarized world, shore up a flagging economy and address concerns about climate change – under many other things.
The sessions will cover topics as diverse as the future of fertilizers, the role of sport in society, the state of the COVID-19 pandemic and more. Nearly 600 CEOs and more than 50 heads of state are expected, but it’s never clear how much concrete action will emerge from the elite event.
Here’s what to watch as Tuesday’s four-day Talkfest and related deals kick off in earnest:
WHO COMES?
Back in the snow for the first time since the pandemic and just eight months after a spring 2022 meeting, the event will feature notable figures such as European Union President Ursula von der Leyen, US climate chief John Kerry and the new presidents of South Korea, Colombia and the Philippines.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu He speaks in Zurich on Tuesday, a day before his first meeting with his US counterpart, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Yellen will skip Davos.
Who is still missing? US President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, of course: his country’s envoys were shunned because of his war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska was en route to Davos and will speak on Tuesday, forum officials said, while other officials from Ukraine address panel discussions.
Outside the main convention center, a themed venue called Ukraine House is hosting a concert, photo exhibitions, seminars, cocktail events and other gatherings this week to rally support for Ukraine’s efforts to oust Russian forces.
ECONOMIC FOCUS
The slowdown in the global economy will be a key issue in Davos, with officials including Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde speaking at sessions.
Inflation skyrocketed as the world reopened after the pandemic and Russia invaded Ukraine, sending food and energy prices skyrocketing, although it is gradually slowing in major economies like the US and those in Europe inflation is still painfully high.
Georgieva said Monday in an IMF blog post that divisions between nations — the theme at Davos this year is “Working together in a fragmented world” — are threatening the global economy by leaving “everyone poorer and less secure.”
Georgieva urged strengthening trade, helping vulnerable countries deal with debt and pushing ahead with climate action.
CLIMATE PRIORITY
A key climate issue emerging from the forum’s panel sessions is the energy transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Former US Vice President Al Gore will speak on decarbonization, efforts to build clean energy infrastructure and ensuring a just transition.
A strong year follows for the energy transition, with many countries adopting renewable energy incentives in 2022.
A hot topic on the agenda – the exploitation of nuclear fusion – is centered on the science that offers immense potential but is many decades away from a commercial deployment that could satisfy the world’s skyrocketing thirst for energy.
Sessions on topics such as climate change adaptation and panel discussions on deforestation, biodiversity and the future of environmental protection will add a greener hue to the meeting.
CRITICAL VOICES
The elite gathering is regularly skewered by critics who argue that attendees are too non-contact or profit- or power-oriented to meet the needs of ordinary people and the planet.
Throughout the week, critics and activists wait outside the Davos conference center to try to hold policymakers and business leaders accountable.
It started on Sunday when dozens of climate activists – some with clown makeup – braved the snowfall to wave banners and chant slogans at the end of Davoser Promenade, a thoroughfare now covered by window logos of corporate titans like Accenture, Microsoft, Salesforce, Meta, as well as country houses that represent national interests.
Greenpeace International has also blasted the use of corporate jets to carry bigwigs, saying such carbon-spitting transports smack of hypocrisy for an event touting their push for a greener world. It said over 1,000 private jet flights arrived and departed from airports serving Davos in May.
Forum President Borge Brende acknowledged on Sunday that some government leaders and CEOs are flying this way.
“I think what’s even more important is to make sure we have agreements on how we’re moving overall and pushing the boundaries when it comes to the green agenda,” he said.
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Associated Press contributors Courtney Bonnell and Dana Beltaji contributed to this report from London.
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