Davos is a chance for the UK to step-up and collaborate in the digital revolution
After the drama of last week in Westminster, it’s the 49th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum that will take centre stage over the next few days.
I will join more than 100 heads of government, as well the globe’s leading companies, international organisations, and NGOs in making the annual visit to Davos.
Brexit will of course be a hot topic, but the global economy won’t wait for us.
We are now well into the fourth industrial revolution, and discussions at Davos will cover everything that it entails – from biotechnology to blockchain, quantum computers to autonomous vehicles.
Whether it’s combatting climate change or defeating some of the world’s most dangerous diseases, the potential benefits of progress in these fields are limited only by our own imaginations.
The challenge, then, is how we can work together as a coalition across global civil society, promoting the emerging technologies that we will need to drive sustainable and inclusive economic growth for all of our futures.
London is already at the forefront of new areas in global finance that can help achieve these aims, including fintech, green finance, and cyber security.
My mayoral agenda, Shaping Tomorrow’s City Today, calls upon London to build on that momentum, and I look forward to hosting events like the Innovate Finance Global Summit in April, as well as the launch of the Green Finance Institute later this year.
My agenda sets out two other ways that London must step-up to global challenges: first, we must champion digital skills so that we are ready to take advantage of all that the fourth industrial revolution can offer; and second, we must ensure that individuals from across our communities are in a position to benefit.
With 12.6m adults lacking basic digital skills, the UK has plenty to do.
I propose the formation of a UK Coalition for Digital Intelligence. This would provide a platform for organisations to coordinate their efforts to set global standards for digital literacy.
That work has already begun during my mayoralty: for instance, we held a summit at Mansion House in November, during which more than 200 delegates discussed how we can provide future generations with the skills they will need to be fully-fledged digital citizens.
A digital skills pilot has been launched at Canada Academy Islington, to be extended into further academies, and I look forward to convening further stakeholders to discuss how we can enhance digital inclusion for older generations.
Davos will be an invaluable opportunity to hear from many of the world’s sharpest minds.
Ensuring that we rise to the challenge of the fourth industrial revolution is vital for our prosperity – not just as a city or country, but globally.
As one of the most prominent financial centres in the world, we must continue to lead the way.