Countries have pledged to transition their economies and industrial capacities to a net-zero framework within the next decade. Yet political objections to assertive climate action have been growing, especially in the Global North. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the US may have ushered a new era of protectionism in the emerging green race. Questions of justice have been mainstreamed in the climate transition, but are they being misused to focus subsidies on geographies historically responsible for emissions? As economic security becomes a major focus for policymakers, will such considerations help scale up climate finance or further impede its flow? How can the private sector be made a partner in the decarbonisation effort? What would an energy transition that respects the Global South’s needs look like?

To what degree are protectionist measures unavoidable for countries? What do such steps mean for borders, trade, environment, and labour? How can the environmental impact of international finance be aligned with sustainability, ethical investments, and responsible financial practices? 

Developments over the past two years, like the war in Ukraine, terror in the Middle East and the withdrawal from Afghanistan, have upended hopes for a "peace dividend" and shaken the resolve of democratic societies. They have also complicated how we think about deterrence, grand strategy, and defence production. New forms of war and battlefields are emerging, and new centres of power are determining their technological and human capacity for warfare. Is the decades-long thrust on maritime power receding? How will future conflicts be fought? What are the lessons from the new battlefields? How do these lessons impact the balance of power between states and long-term decision-making by security establishments?

Reformed multilateralism is the key to billions of hopes in the Global South and a quest for a world that recognises the aspirations and urges of its forgotten multitudes. The long shadow of the pandemic, an ongoing war in Europe, and instability in West Asia have thrown up new challenges while the rise of the Global South has called into question the very basis of the postcolonial order. 

As new multilateral frameworks emerge, can they be both useful and inclusive? How is this assertion being received by established powers? How are rising geographies like Latin America, West Asia and Africa putting their stamp on multilateral architecture?

The Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals have defined the growth agenda for the past three decades. In 2030, the world will need to craft a new grammar for cooperation and development. What role will the private sector — and philanthropy — play in this agenda, and how can they be held accountable? How will security considerations define development goals and partnerships? What will be the main contours of development cooperation?

The democracy paradox has hit our age, even as its ideals are being challenged by technology. As democracies continue to evolve, safeguarding their basic principles remains of utmost importance. As the world’s largest democracies head into elections this year, questions are being raised about democracy’s ability to withstand the pressure of a multi-truth world. Can democracies mitigate the threat of election interference from bad actors and non-democratic forces? Will the intersection of and conflict between global norms and local practices cause a rift between Western and non-Western democracies? Can democracy survive the 4IR unscathed?