Industrialisation without destruction: A UN blueprint for the future

But it doesn’t have to be this way. The UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), a technical agency created in 1966 to help the Global South develop and industrialise, is today committed to ensuring the countries progress in a way that benefits us all, as well as the planet itself. At the Global Industry Summit in […]

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✍️ The Bill to Hand Parenting to Big Tech | EFFector 38.2

Lawmakers in Washington are once again focusing on kids, screens, and mental health. But according to Congress, Big Tech is somehow both the problem and the solution. We’re diving into the latest attempt to control how kids access the internet and more with our latest EFFector newsletter. Since 1990, EFFector has been your guide to […]

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Global economy shows signs of steady but subdued growth

The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026 predicts that global economic output will grow by 2.7 per cent this year, or slightly below the 2.8 per cent estimated for 2025 and well below the pre-pandemic average of 3.2 per cent.  The report noted that a sharp increase in United States tariffs “created new trade frictions, though the absence of broader escalation helped limit […]

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‘Beyond GDP’ economists push for clearer metrics on wellbeing, sustainability

Backed by the UN trade and development agency, UNCTAD and other partners, the “Beyond GDP” initiative acknowledges a warning from Secretary-General António Guterres that global policymaking is over-reliant on Global Domestic Product data. “Every day, we witness the consequences of our failure to balance economic, social and environmental dimensions of development,” the Secretary-General has said. “Moving […]

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GRR Airport’s FLITE program to test innovative air travel solutions

Gerald R. Ford International Airport has announced the ninth cohort of companies selected to receive more than $170,000 in total grant funding through its FLITE program to help shape the future of aviation. Summary: Gerald R. Ford International Airport announces ninth FLITE cohort, awarding more than $170,000 in grant funding to six startups piloting next-generation […]

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Global employment stable but decent jobs in short supply

According to the data compiled for the latest Employment and Social Trends 2026 report, the global unemployment rate is projected to stay stable at around 4.9 per cent this year, equivalent to some 186 million people out of work. The biggest area of growth is in poorer countries – a reflection of the ageing population in richer […]

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Will AI kickstart a new age of nuclear power?

The global demand for electricity is growing at a vertiginous rate. By 2035, it is expected that it will increase by more than 10,000 terawatt-hours, equivalent to the total consumption of all advanced economies today. The rise of artificial intelligence has a large part to play: AI technology is powered by data centres and the […]

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Eighty years at the heart of global development

Established in 1945 under the UN Charter, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) was designed to ensure that peace and security would be backed by economic stability, social progress and international cooperation. Eight decades after its first meeting in London in early 1946, ECOSOC remains a central – if often working out of the spotlight […]

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EFF Benefit Poker Tournament at DEF CON 33

In the brand new Planet Hollywood Poker Room, 48 digital rights supporters played No-Limit Texas Hold’Em in the 4th Annual EFF Benefit Poker Tournament at DEF CON, raising $18,395 for EFF. The tournament was hosted by EFF board member Tarah Wheeler and emceed by lintile, lending his Hacker Jeopardy hosting skills to help EFF for the […]

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