The participants at this national roundtable opened their discussions by affirming that the constitutional referendum held in Italy on December 4, 2016 produced a result that leaves no room for doubt: the electorate has rejected the proposed reforms to the Constitution championed by the Renzi government. In 2006, the same fate befell the proposal put forward and supported by a center-right majority.
Kicking off proceedings at this International Conference was the observation that the fourth industrial revolution is already underway, taking advantage of technologies that transcend the boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological spheres. Robotics, artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and 3D and 4D printers were held up as just some of the new technologies making a forcible impact on the economy in general and manufacturing in particular.
Proceedings at this panel debate kicked off with the observation that a redistribution of roles and power between women and men is underway – a process which the election of Hillary Clinton as president of the United States could have served to cement. The proclamation of Donald Trump’s victory – which for many came as unexpected – has instead upset the apple cart.
What road will Britain take once out of Europe, and what repercussions will this have for the European Union, in an international situation fraught with unknowns? These were some of the crucial issues examined in a debate held the day after a speech delivered by the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, at Lancaster House in London, during which it was disclosed for the first time that the UK is opting for a “hard” Brexit, involving a complete withdrawal from the common market as well as from the European Court of Justice.
The starting premise of debate at this National Interest event was that cities are the place where the future of humanity is set to play out, not just because – for the first time in history – the majority of the world’s population lives in urban areas, but also because the latter will become increasingly pivotal to ensuring the sustainability of development models.
The starting premise at this Aspen Dialogue session was that assessing economic, political, and social risks is by definition a hugely difficult task, and that moreover an element of risk is inevitable in market systems, given that they intrinsically hinge on opportunities for profit and innovation. It was noted, however, that the world economy is going through a very volatile phase.
Digital technology is no longer an option but an established fact throughout the world. It closed the gap between present and future, creating a conversation between today and tomorrow. So it is crucially important to be able to manage the latest technologies in order to predict and build the future. The “cloud” we inhabit as both consumers and producers of digital data – twenty-first century black gold – offers major economic and social opportunities.
The starting point of discussions at this international workshop was an examination of the extent to which the result of the US election in November 2016 has engendered widespread concerns for the entire framework of transatlantic relations. The fears that have arisen relate to the future of agreed rules and dialogue vehicles, as well as the core values that underpin liberal democracy, in light of the strong nationalist bent (especially on economic matters) as well as the slant on alliances demonstrated by Donald Trump during the election campaign.
Though each European country has its own political cycles, as well as its own specific economic characteristics, there are objectively a number of common political trends, worrying because of their impact on policy decisions. The main danger is of a vicious cycle of political and economic instability, against the backdrop of widespread mistrust of both national and international institutions. Of course, Donald Trump’s election confirms the great dissatisfaction felt by voters in all the advanced economies, whose overall effects are still difficult to assess. The familiar u
At present, the world’s energy mix is based to a large extent on traditional sources, and particularly fossil fuels. All forecasts agree that population growth and improved living standards will drive an increased demand for energy worldwide, which will also entail an increased demand for oil and gas, in absolute terms. Mankind will therefore have to resolve a real energy dilemma: on the one hand the need to meet growing demand, and on the other hand the need to limit emissions in order to protect the planet from escalating global warming.
In recent years the development of a “hyperconnected society” has altered the everyday lives of vast numbers of people, providing great opportunities but also posing considerable threats to the privacy and security of both citizens and enterprises. The problem, which is not confined to Italy alone, is the lack of a real awareness of these dangers. Those most exposed to cyber threats include small and medium enterprises, which find themselves in a very difficult situation: even if they possess cutting-edge technologies in their respective sectors, they often lack the necessary sk
One of the main objectives of the German White Paper is to build consensus on security and defense policies. This objective is an especially difficult one in this period of tight budgets, and with public opinion in nearly every European country concerned on a variety of fronts and often inclined to criticize governments regardless of the merits of their specific choices.
No aspect of life, business or politics is immune to the major technological changes of our time. The speed and scale of transformation is such that breakthrough innovations are affecting everything, from the nature of work to what it means to be human. Zigzagging career paths are now the norm, traditional industries are revolutionized almost overnight, and the political debate is more intense and more polarized than at any other moment in recent history.
Demographic pressures, environmental damage, and global warming pose growing questions about the sustainability of the existing development model. After years of debate on the subject, bioeconomics now seems to offer both a theoretical paradigm and a concrete plan of action for transcending the oil era.
There have been a number of exceptional events in 2016, including Brexit and Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election. Next year promises to be no less extraordinary, with elections scheduled in such major European countries as France and Germany. Within this context the Aspen Junior Fellows Annual Conference focused on the great changes affecting politics in the 21st century, which relate to the efficiency and constraints of the democratic process, populism and technocracy, and new forms of communication and engagement, supported by the innovat
