Facing up to our global challenges

The author asserts that the 'triangle of trust' between government, business, and civil society has broken, leading to political and economic paralysis. To address global challenges such as climate change and energy transitions, business leaders must increase transparency and foster new partnerships. The World Economic Forum's Energy for Society initiative is cited as a model for this collaboration, with 20 energy company CEOs, including Shell's Peter Voser, participating to foster transparent communication and collaborative action.

• The world is facing complex, cross-border challenges regarding the transition to sustainable energy systems, the reduction of CO2 emissions to mitigate climate change, and the management of resource systems as the population grows by 2 billion people by mid-century.
• Progress on global issues is currently hindered by a breakdown in the 'triangle of trust' between government, business, and civil society, resulting in political and economic paralysis.
• To restore trust, businesses must improve transparency, listen more effectively, and engage in new forms of partnership with governments, NGOs, and other industries.
• The World Economic Forum’s Energy for Society initiative aims to align the energy industry around principles of open communication and collaborative action, with participation from Shell CEO Peter Voser and 19 other global energy company CEOs.

APA

Ollila, J. (2012). Facing up to our global challenges. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/economic-growth/facing-up-to-our-global-challenges/

Chicago

Ollila, Jorma. Facing up to our global challenges. World Economic Forum, 2012. https://www.weforum.org/stories/economic-growth/facing-up-to-our-global-challenges/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Ollila |first1=Jorma |title=Facing up to our global challenges |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=9 November 2012 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/economic-growth/facing-up-to-our-global-challenges/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{ollila2012facing, author = {Ollila, Jorma}, title = {{Facing up to our global challenges}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2012}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/economic-growth/facing-up-to-our-global-challenges/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }