Gender, genetic engineering, and greenhouse gases

Grüezi mitenand! Welcome to the World Economic Forum’s newsletter. Most shared this week Inspiring quotes on gender equality. For International Women’s Day 2015, what leaders have to say on creating a more equal world. 15 women changing the world in 2015. From an astronaut to an online activist, from scientists to social entrepreneurs.   On the Agenda Five ways to close the gender gap. We’ll get there faster if business and government work together. Find out how old you’ll be when the gender gap closes by using our gender gap calculator. Why a win-win is possible for Greece and the EU. There have been tangible gains from tough negotiations. What China’s economic shift means for Africa. As Beijing moves manufacturing offshore, the continent is on the cusp of an industrial revolution. The future of genetic engineering, from personalised medicine to crops that can cope with climate change. Storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes. Businesses are more exposed than ever to disasters - and have a crucial role to play in resilience.   The World Economic Forum in the news Gordon Brown: $500 a year can secure the education of a Syrian refugee in Lebanon. The former British Premier on his new role as the UN’s special envoy for global education, the challenge of providing opportunities for young people in the Middle East, and the upcoming World Economic Forum Middle East and North Africa meeting in Jordan, which he will co-chair. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 11 things to know about Tidjane Thiam, Credit Suisse’s new CEO.“In 1998, he was selected as one of 100 ‘Global Leaders for Tomorrow’ by the World Economic Forum, helping put him on the business world’s map.” (Wall Street Journal) The World Bank is seeking EDGE certification on gender equality, a Forum initiative launched in 2011. (World Bank) Gender discrimination is rampant in India. Cites our Global Gender Gap Report. (Financial Express) Despite an epidemic of scandal, Latin America is making progress against a plague of corruption. Cites Forum research on corruption. (The Economist) SPONSOR CONTENT BY THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM Forum Academy Are you facing today’s challenges with yesterday’s leadership skills? Forum Academy gives executives access to digital updates from the world’s best minds. Visit Forum Academy On our radar Can night-time light images play a role in evaluating the Syrian conflict? An analysis of satellite photographs taken over Syria found that the country is 83% darker at night than before the war. Why is Apple making a gold watch? “There are plenty of $10k watches on the market already that sell just fine, but those are normally mechanical ones, and mechanical watches are sold primarily on the complexity of the mechanism, where of course the gold Apple watch is internally identical to the $350 aluminium model.” On board the world’s biggest ship. “Like an office block lying on its side.” An impressive feat of engineering. Made in China. A new round of industrial consolidation to refresh the country‘s stale state-owned enterprises. The rate of anthropogenic climate change is speeding up. “We find that present trends in greenhouse-gas and aerosol emissions are now moving the Earth system into a regime in terms of multi-decadal rates of change that are unprecedented for at least the past 1,000 years.”   Coming up next week We look at the new 2015 crop of Young Global Leaders as well as the past 10 years of YGL achievements. Thanks for reading! Adrian