2050 Earth

  Fracking Fracking  is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well. Fracking has probably caused some earthquakes and uses chemicals that can easily destroy a water table in a location.  Fracking needs to change the way the crack that releases the oil is changed to not pollute the planet directly.

Smart Grid Smart grids include  various operation and energy measures such as  smart meters ,  smart  appliances, renewable energy resources, and energy efficient resources. Energy savings  through reducing consumption. ... Better  customer service  and more accurate bills. ... Fraud detection and technical losses. ... Reduced balancing  cost . ... Increased competition. ... Levelling of the demand curve (Peak reduction) Reduction of carbon emissions  

  Distributed Power Distributed generation (DG) refers to the generation of electricity in a decentralized manner, that is, geographically distributed over the area that is serviced and close to the consumer of energy

  Air Pollution Carbon Monoxide . Lead. Nitrogen Oxides. Ozone . Particulate Matter . Sulfur Dioxide. Other Air Pollutants. Air scrubbers will be constructed around populated areas to remove pollution in the air. Brake dust will be captured in cars the same way it is captured in lorries. Emissions will be limited to manage air pollution.

  Smart Meters With a smart meter you can wave goodbye to estimated billing. The smart meter shows a digital meter reading and uses a secure smart data network (managed by the DCC) to automatically and wirelessly send the readings to your  energy supplier  at least once a month, so you will receive accurate, not estimated bills. Smart meters also come with an in-home display screen that shows you exactly how much energy you're using in pounds and pence, in near real time. Smart meters will be used for the following -determine utlity cash-flow -turn on/off remotely due to new client or current client not paying bills -auto-software updates - Using AI to determine electricity and gas demand in the network historically to manage supply

  Plastic Alternatives Stainless steel. Tough and easy to clean, stainless steel options for reusable food and beverage storage have multiplied in recent years. ... Glass. ... Platinum silicone. ... Beeswax-coated cloth. ... Natural fiber cloth. ... Wood. ... Bamboo. ... Pottery and Other Ceramics. Single use plastics will be removed from society and products that compost or can be smelted will be used in the future.

  Nuclear Power Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions that release nuclear energy to generate heat, which most frequently is then used in steam turbines to produce electricity in a nuclear power plant. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions.  This will become the major method to generate electricity and will be used when renewables can't generate the required amount of energy seasonally or at night.

  Clean Water and Sanitation Having  clean water and sanitation  means being able to avoid exposure to countless diseases. Every year, millions of people die from diseases caused by inadequate  water  supply,  sanitation , and  hygiene . Water will be extracted from the ocean or directly from the air or as a by product of hydrogen and used for drinking and washing.

  Water Management Water resource management  is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and  managing  the optimum use of  water resources . ... Ideally,  water resource management  planning has regard to all the competing demands for  water  and seeks to allocate  water  on an equitable basis to satisfy all uses and demands. Water will become very expensive and will be secured to avoid theft, clean water will be hard to find and nations will extract moisture out of the air to get enough water for the population.

  Synthetic Trees Scientists have designed a  synthetic tree  that traps carbon dioxide from the air in an attempt to combat growing emissions. The device looks less like a  tree  and more like a small building, but it can collect carbon about 1,000 times faster than a real  tree . So the interesting thing about the air capture which I think differs from power plant CO2 capture is that it could very well have a strong economic incentive to start with. These markets don’t come close to the 30 billion tons of CO2 we have to capture in order to make the world carbon neutral, but it is the place to learn. These trees will also be able to harvest solar energy to provide lighting or use  bioluminescence  to provide visibility of objects.

  Gig Economy Gig workers are independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers and temporary workers. Gig workers enter into formal agreements with on-demand companies to provide services to the company's clients.

  Work from Home Common rhetorical questions that employees pushing for the work from home setups bring up. Today,  workers demand flexibility . They want a great work-life balance. And, it is commonly believed that when you have a good work-life balance, you become more productive at work. This is, at least, the selling point for remote work arrangements.

  Industry 4.0 Industry 4.0 refers to a new phase in the Industrial Revolution that focuses heavily on interconnectivity, automation, machine learning, and real-time data. Industry 4.0, also sometimes referred to as IIoT or smart manufacturing, marries physical production and operations with smart digital technology, machine learning, and big data to create a more holistic and better connected ecosystem for companies that focus on manufacturing and  supply chain management . While every company and organization operating today is different, they all face a common challenge—the need for connectedness and access to real-time insights across processes, partners, products, and people.  - robot burger flipper - robot fries cooker - robot servers - robot rubbish clear-up - robot wok cooker - robot food preparation - robot dishwashers

  Deglobalisation Deglobalization or deglobalisation is the process of diminishing interdependence and integration between certain units around the world, typically nation-states. It is widely used to describe the periods of history when economic trade and investment between countries decline. Product will be build locally and on-demand via new technologies such as digital printing.

  Sustainable Tourism Sustainable tourism is the tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. This will include health checks, taxation, special tourist location to ensure that tourist are looked after and the world is looked after as well.

  Shifting Economic Power World economy could double in size by 2042 China has already overtaken the US to be largest economy based on GDP in PPP terms, and could be the largest valued at market exchange rates before 2030 By India could overtake the US by 2050 to go into 2 nd  place and Indonesia could move into 4 th  place by 2050, overtaking advanced economies like Japan and Germany 2050, six of the seven largest economies in the world could be emerging markets Vietnam could be the world’s fastest growing large economy over the period to 2050, rising to 20 th  in the global GDP rankings by that date The EU27’s share of world GDP could fall to below 10% by 2050 UK could grow faster than the EU27 average in the long run if it can remain open to trade, investment and talented people after Brexit Turkey could overtake Italy by 2030 if it can overcome current political instability and make progress on economic reforms Nigeria has potential to rise up the global GDP rankings, but only if i

  Societal Inequality Social inequality  is the extent to which there are differences between groups in society.  Social inequality  can be related to: differences in incomes, ie rich and poor. gender. ethnicity. We had a greater difference between the rich and poor due to the stellar increases in stock market value.  We will only change this if we educate people on how to manage money, manage investments and plan for rainy days. Inequality will exist due to the corruption of power around the world.

  Next-Gen Workforce Many retailers have already felt the wrath of Gen Z as consumers. They are informed, equipped and have the highest of expectations. With the oldest now 19, Gen Z will soon become a key player in retailers’ talent strategies as well, and the moment of truth will arrive: will Gen Z, the true digital natives with “anything is possible” and ultra-ambitious attitudes. Next-Gen will want laser focused attention, speedy delivery, speedy issue resolution and focus on trends that will change montly.

  Consumer-to-Consumer Consumer to consumer markets provide an innovative way to allow customers to interact with each other. Traditional markets require business to customer relationships, in which a customer goes to the business in order to purchase a product or service.

  Global Tax-Reform The G20 and the OECD looked at issues regarding current international tax arrangements in light of increasing public concern. Key areas of focus included: the approaches adopted by large corporates to where they paid tax; measures introduced by certain jurisdictions to improve their competitiveness; the status and conduct of tax havens; and a wider debate about whether international tax arrangements were 'fit for purpose' in light of increased globalisation, the growth of the digital economy, and the increased representation of the service sector in the economy.

  Lifelong Learning Lifelong learning is the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated" pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. Therefore, it not only enhances social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development, but also self-sustainability, as well as competitiveness and employability.

  Fake News and Misinformation Disinformation : Information that is false and deliberately created to harm a person, social group, organisation or country Misinformation : Information that is false but not created with the intention of causing harm Mal-information : Information that is based on reality, used to inflict harm on a person, social group, organisation or country.

  Social Credit System There is one  social credit system  for citizens, one for businesses and other organizations, and one for government officials. Broadly speaking, the main  purpose  of the  social credit system  is to monitor and assess each group's trustworthiness, particularly as it relates to following laws and other rules. A cashless society is the first leg to drop. Removal of the right to protest is the next. We have rules for groups of people not one rule for all.

  Civil Unrest Civil disorder, also known as civil disturbance or civil unrest, is an activity arising from a mass act of civil disobedience in which the participants become hostile toward authority, and authorities incur difficulties in maintaining public safety and order, over the disorderly crowd.  Right to protest will be removed. People will have a violent protest as people are massively impacted by the costs of living. Banks will remove credit from low-income people who are using credit to survive but know they will not pay the sums back.

  Cyberterrorism Cyberterrorism is the use of the Internet to conduct violent acts that result in, or threaten, loss of life or significant bodily harm, in order to achieve political or ideological gains through threat or intimidation. Traditional cash left will be impossible as cash will only be digital. Life sustaining equipment will be connected to the internet and will not have the controls to avoid tampering via the internet.

  Environmental Protection Environmental protection  is the practice of  protecting  the natural  environment  by individuals, organizations and governments. Its objectives are to conserve natural resources and the existing natural  environment  and, where possible, to repair damage and reverse trends. Mega rich will buy up parcels of land to protect it for the future.

  ESG Investing ESG stands for  Environmental, Social and Governance . There is growing evidence that suggests that ESG factors, when integrated into investment analysis and portfolio construction, may offer investors potential long-term performance advantages. ESG is difficult and complex to present to all parties and make not make inroads into the market.

  Modern Warfare Technology is shaping how wars are fought, borders are protected, crooks are caught, and individual rights are defined. DefenseTech stays on top of these changes, rounding up the day’s news, linking to sources of information, and providing analysis on what’s ahead. AI is beings used to analyse terrain and determine a response in the battlefield.

  Urbanisation Urbanisation  is the increase in the proportion of people living in towns and cities.  Urbanisation  occurs because people move from rural areas (countryside) to urban areas (towns and cities). This usually occurs when a country is still developing. 

  Microfinance Microfinance is a category of financial services targeting individuals and small businesses who lack access to conventional banking and related services. 

  Emerging Middle Class A daily income of $10-$100 may not sound particularly middle class by western standards, but calculated at purchasing power parity, which takes account of the fact that goods are much cheaper in poorer countries, it represents considerable spending power. In this income bracket, people have money to spend not only on the bare necessities but also discretionary goods and services: fridges, TVs and satellite dishes, more meat and dairy, education, eating out, and perhaps a scooter or car.

  Women's Empowerment Women's empowerment is the process of empowering women. Empowerment can be defined in many ways, however, when talking about women's empowerment, empowerment means accepting and allowing people who are on the outside of the decision-making process into it.

  Competition for talent As demand grows for new and emergent  skills , including UX design, cybersecurity, and data science, workers around the world — and labor markets — are struggling to keep up.  According to a recent  survey  conducted by the World Economic Forum, nearly eight in 10 global CEOs say they’re concerned about the availability of people with the right skills. So far, organizations have responded by engaging in a war for talent — that is, buying or stealing it, rather than growing it from within. As they compete to fill roles, many have been willing to spend billions on recruiting (or poaching), while reluctant to invest in training their existing workers or unskilled ones, perhaps out of fear their competitors will hire those newly attractive employees away.  Demand for skills as people retire early and pay levels depressed.

  Crowdsourcing Crowdsourcing  is the practice of engaging a 'crowd' or group for a common goal — often innovation, problem solving, or efficiency. It is powered by new technologies, social media and web 2.0.  Crowdsourcing  can take place on many different levels and across various industries. Funding due to crowdfunding as IPO and other limit the funding to businesses.

  Malnutrition Malnutrition  refers to when a person's diet does not provide enough nutrients or the right balance of nutrients for optimal health. Causes of  malnutrition  include inappropriate dietary choices, a low income, difficulty obtaining food, and various physical and mental health conditions. First world malnutrition due to energy spikes and cost of living

  Water Water covers 70% of our planet, and it is easy to think that it will always be plentiful. However, freshwater—the stuff we drink, bathe in, irrigate our farm fields with—is incredibly rare. Only 3% of the world’s water is fresh water, and two-thirds of that is tucked away in frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for our use. As a result, some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. Inadequate sanitation is also a problem for 2.4 billion people—they are exposed to diseases, such as cholera and typhoid fever, and other water-borne illnesses. Two million people, mostly children, die each year from diarrheal diseases alone.

  Diversity and Inclusion Diversity and inclusion  (D&I) is more than policies, programs, or headcounts. Equitable employers outpace their competitors by respecting the unique needs, perspectives and potential of all their team members. As a result,  diverse and inclusive  workplaces earn deeper trust and more commitment from their employees.

  Africa Rising Africa  is a resource-rich continent. ... In 2017, the  African  Development Bank reported  Africa  to be the world's second-fastest growing  economy , and estimates that average growth will rebound to 3.4% in 2017, while growth is expected to increase by 4.3% in 2018. Massive China investing and natural resources.  The population is very young compared with first world countries.

  Mass Migration Mass migration refers to the migration of large groups of people from one geographical area to another. Mass migration is distinguished from individual or small scale migration; and also from seasonal migration, which may occur on a regular basis. Migration away from flooding, where crops will grow and economic migration.

  New Superstate A  superstate  is defined as "a large and powerful state formed when several smaller countries ... decried the perspective of "a European  super-state  exercising a  new  dominance from Brussels", and has since entered the eurosceptic lexicon. Take will have a majority control on your life due to the removal of cash in society and needing points or a particular grading to carry out certain tasks.  This will be close to the Chinese model where you are limited to where you can shop, eat, entertain, etc.

  Obesity Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese. The issue has grown to epidemic proportions, with over 4 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese in 2017 according to the global burden of disease.  Rates of overweight and obesity continue to grow in adults and children. From 1975 to 2016, the prevalence of overweight or obese children and adolescents aged 5–19 years increased more than four-fold from 4% to 18% globally. Obesity is one side of the double burden of  malnutrition , and today more people are obese than underweight in every region except sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Once considered a problem only in high-income countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. The vast majority of overweight or obese children l

  Digital Influencers Influencers in social media  are people who have built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a specific topic. They make regular posts about that topic on their preferred social media channels and generate large followings of enthusiastic, engaged people who pay close attention to their views. Brands love social media influencers because they can create trends and encourage their followers to buy products they promote.

  Conscious Consumer Conscious consumption  is an umbrella term that simply means engaging in the economy with more awareness of how your  consumption  impacts society at large. Shopping sustainably, with the intent to preserve the environment, is one way to consume more consciously. Products will have to be marketed for the savvy consumer.

  AgriTech “ Agritech ” is the fusion of Agriculture and Technology. More specifically, it is the use of technology in agriculture to maximize yields and efficiency. In order to achieve these aims,  agritech  uses technologies that include comprehensive data collection, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Technology with agriculture to get the best yield for the lowest input resources.

  Sustainable Fashion Sustainable fashion  is a movement and process of fostering change to  fashion  products and the  fashion  system towards greater ecological integrity and social justice.  Sustainable fashion  concerns more than just addressing  fashion  textiles or products. Minimising bleach and dyes. Reuse and recycle economy. Moving away from single wear clothing

Clean Label   Clean label  is not a scientific term. ... Essentially,  clean label  means making a product using as few ingredients as possible, and making sure those ingredients are items that  consumers  recognize and think of as wholesome—ingredients that  consumers  might use at home.

  GM Food Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism. The technology is often called “modern biotechnology” or “gene technology”, sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”. Currently available GM foods stem mostly from plants, but in the future foods derived from GM microorganisms or GM animals are likely to be introduced on the market. Most existing genetically modified crops have been developed to improve yield through the introduction of resistance to plant diseases or of increased tolerance of herbicides. GM foods can also allow for reductions in food prices through improved yields and reliability. We mostly will not have a say as GM mixed with normal food and we need to have the quantities to feed ourselves.

  Food as a Service The latest industry to be attacked by internet-enabled convenience is meal delivery. Companies such as GrubHub, Uber Eats, Meituan, Just Eat, and Deliveroo are eliminating the friction associated with cooking and dining out. Just as on-demand car hailing is upending the notion of car ownership, meal delivery could change attitudes toward shopping, cooking, and eating. Given the size of the grocery and restaurant markets, the winner in this space could become the next Amazon. More complete packaged meal either as a powder or a real-meal.

  Transport as a Service Transport as a service (TaaS) could represent an enormous disruptive opportunity. As the move from private vehicle ownership to vehicle sharing takes hold and efficiencies kick in there are likely to be some big winners and losers. Better joined-up transport across the country.

  Direct to Customer The Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) strategy is fast becoming a popular route for manufacturers and CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) brands to enter the market directly — instead of through a middle-man entity. The  benefits of going direct to consumer  are many, but to name a few, going D2C eliminates the barrier between the producer and the consumer, giving the producer greater control over its brand, reputation, marketing, and sales tactics. Plus, it helps the producer directly engage, and therefore learn from, their customers.