Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends

The report examines the 'longevity economy,' focusing on the need to transition from linear life stages to a multistage model. It identifies critical challenges in public retirement sustainability, the shift from savings accumulation to income decumulation, the role of employers in financial wellness, the economics of caregiving, and pathways for lifelong economic growth. The document highlights specific national innovations—such as Canada's CPPIB, Singapore's CPF LIFE, and Rwanda's EjoHeza—as models for building inclusive and resilient financial systems. It also addresses the intersecting impacts of AI and climate change on an ageing global population.

• Global demographic shifts are creating severe fiscal pressure on public retirement systems; by 2060, governments could face average deficits of 9.1% of GDP, with emerging markets potentially reaching 15.9%.
• There is a significant 'decumulation dilemma' where retirees fear outliving their savings but remain overly conservative in spending; in the US, retirees typically retain 80% of pre-retirement savings after nearly two decades.
• The transition from defined benefit to defined contribution plans has shifted the burden of managing retirement income to individuals, yet many lack the 'longevity literacy' to convert savings into reliable lifetime income.
• Unpaid care work provides a massive but unrecognized economic contribution, estimated at 9% of global GDP, and disproportionately affects women, preventing 708 million of them from participating in the labour market.
• Climate change and extreme heat pose direct threats to the longevity economy, with the ILO projecting a loss of 80 million full-time equivalent jobs globally by 2030 due to heat stress.
• Employers are critical to financial well-being, as financial stress makes employees five times more likely to be disengaged at work, yet only 44% of employers currently offer financial wellness programmes.
• The 'multistage life' model replaces the traditional linear path of education, work, and retirement, requiring financial systems that support fluid transitions between employment, entrepreneurial ventures, and caregiving.
• Innovative national schemes provide benchmarks for resilience: Canada's CPPIB uses professional, non-political management; Singapore's CPF LIFE pools mortality risk; and Rwanda's EjoHeza uses micro-pensions and digital access for informal workers.

APA

World Economic Forum (2025). Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_Proofing_the_Longevity_Economy_2025.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends. 2025. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_Proofing_the_Longevity_Economy_2025.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends |date=March 2025 |url=https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_Proofing_the_Longevity_Economy_2025.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2025futureproofing, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Future-Proofing the Longevity Economy: Innovations and Key Trends}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_Proofing_the_Longevity_Economy_2025.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }