WEF: Firms join First Movers Coalition, CEOs to help reskill 1 bn, and more

More companies join First Movers Coalition

More than 50 companies have now joined the First Movers Coalition, which was launched by US President Joe Biden and the World Economic Forum at COP26 to decarbonise the heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors — sectors responsible for 30 per cent of global emissions. At Davos, John Kerry, the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, joined these companies in sending a powerful market signal to commercialise zero-carbon technology. Their combined market cap is about $8.5 trillion across five continents and they are making unprecedented advance purchase commitments by 2030.

Some 70+ CEOs of the CEO Climate Leaders Alliance — the largest CEO-led climate action group globally — agreed on taking bold action to translate pledges into tangible emission reductions. Covering 26 countries and 12 industries, and representing 120 companies in all, the alliance has a combined annual emission footprint greater than India or the EU. CEOs agreed to push for progress on critical 2030 and 2050 global climate targets, to deliver a successful outcome at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh.  

Investing in the jobs of tomorrow

The Jobs Consortium, a group of public and private sector leaders focused on investment in the jobs of tomorrow, held their inaugural meeting in Davos to drive a global recovery and investment agenda for the next two years.

They aim to create growth in the jobs of tomorrow, new workplace standards and better wages for all, focusing on green and tech jobs as the high-growth, job-creating sector of the future. The premise is that increased investment and focused action from global leaders can yield a job-rich recovery.

Over 50 CEOs to help reskill 1 bn

The Reskilling Revolution initiative, launched in 2020, has now mobilised a community of over 50 CEOs, 350 organisations and 15 countries, all working towards a vision of giving 1 billion people better education, reskilling and upskilling. A network of country accelerators in Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Georgia, Greece, India, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, with support from Denmark, Finland, Singapore and Switzerland, and a consortium of the largest online learning platforms are working together.

Extending technology’s frontiers to make the internet safer

The Davos meeting saw the unveiling of the concept of a Global Collaboration Village, a major move to harness the potential of the metaverse to create a place where international cooperation can be strengthened. An initiative known as “Defining and Building the Metaverse” was also launched, bringing together key stakeholders to define and build the parameters of an economically viable, interoperable, safe and inclusive metaverse. Meanwhile, the Global Coalition for Digital Safety has committed to developing emergency protocols for protecting digital safety — to make the internet safer by tackling harmful content and conduct online.