On day one of the Global Boardroom we held a range of discussions with a stellar line up of speakers. From managing the pandemic, to moving to net zero, analysis of the Biden administration and how Wall Street might respond to post-pandemic policy shifts. A few insights you might have missed include:
Vaccine inequity is undermining global recovery
Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme: “If we are going to beat Delta and other variants like Omicron we have to not just focus on how many people in the population are vaccinated, but who has been missed.”
Leana Wen, Public Health Professor, George Washington University: “For a lot of people who are vaccinated, who are boosted, who live in communities with high vaccination rates. . . Covid has emerged from an existential threat to something they can live with and can recalibrate their risk around. On the other hand, there are many people in other parts of the world who don't have that privilege. There are different realities for different people around the world.”
The climate crisis is drawing attention to global inequalities between the Global South and Global North and this must be factored into the solutions that are created in response to the crisis
Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, Arab Republic of Egypt: “The whole issue of climate is bringing to the fore, more forcefully, the inequality that exists and this is something that is calculated, historic, well-known . . . there is no shying away from it.”
Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Sustainable Energy for All: “If we want Africa to go to clean energy, then there must be funding on the table. What is currently happening is Africa and countries that globally represent less than 4 per cent emissions are told to stop doing things, but there’s nothing on the other side, there’s nothing on the table. You can’t leave a billion people behind . . . on your quest to solving the great climate crisis.”
The shadow of Trump still looms large over US politics but the Democrats need to focus on showing the people that they can still offer hope for a better future
Donna Brazile, Founder and Managing Director, Brazile & Associates: “Donald Trump is still a player in the Republican party. He is still picking and choosing the candidates in the primaries. He’s already decided to pick and choose among some of the Republican congressional candidates. He’s going to play a large role in the Republican party from now until 2024. When he makes this decision on whether or not he’s running, he’s raising a lot of money and he’s still out there calling his shots.”
Thomas Daschle, Founder and CEO, The Daschle Group: “We have to demonstrate to the American people that we can deliver, democracy has to deliver at the end of the day. That is what it’s all about. People have to feel optimistic about their lives, about their circumstances, and if they feel optimistic, if they feel more confident about the future, they’re going to be supportive of the things that a particular party has provided.”
To catch up on the sessions you might have missed read our full summary here